On The Run
by Deb1
Summary: Confrontations begin in Terminal City and outside. Who will survive and who will not?
1. Default Chapter

Title: On the Run

Author: BHG 

Rating: PG – 13 (at the most, maybe…we'll see)

Show: Dark Angel

Genre: Angst, action, ummmm? H/C (This is AU)

Pairing: M/A

Summary:  This is in response to Pai's "On The Run" challenge. What if at the end of Freak Nation, the transgenics did break up and run? Oddly enough, it has the same name. 

A/N: My thanks to Petal for taking the difficult task of beta reading my story.  You're a gem…uh…or a Petal…whatever. 

Chapter 1 

"No! You go with us.  We all stay together."

Alec sighed and stepped closer, "Max, look around you.  Do you see how many are going to be trying to escape?  How many of them are going to make it, if someone doesn't cover their backs?"

"No, not you.  Someone else, someone who isn't hurt." 

"Okay, who?  Who Max? Which one of these people do you want to order to stay?" Alec waved his hand indicating all around him. "They're all mostly transhumans.  We need to assign what X5's we have to go with as many of the smaller units for protection as we can.  How far will they get without help?  Most of them aren't like Mole, or Luke.  They were Manticore mistakes.  No training, no escape and evade skills. Kept in a basement all their lives.  The only thing they have is desperation to stay alive.  So tell me, Max, what are there chances of getting away without help?" 

Max stared hard at Alec.  She knew he was right.  But what he was suggesting was very dangerous for the one left behind.  Almost suicidal.  It had never dawned on her that he would not be there.  She'd treated him like dirt, and pushed him away at first, but he kept coming back in her life, ingratiating himself with her.  Somewhere along the line he became a friend.  Someone she cared about.  He was always there, backing her up.  

"I'll stay behind and help you."

"No."

"You can't do this alone."

"No, Max."

"Alec, your not up to par because of your injury.  You can't do it alone!"

"I'll stay with him," Mole stepped up and interjected.

Max turned to look at him.  Her eyes shiny with tears she refused to shed.  She looked down at the ground, unable to look Alec in the face.  She felt his hand touch her chin and raised her face to see him. His arm came around her waist, pulling her close.   His eyes intent, his voice low.

"It's not my intention to be a martyr. I just…these people need the best chance they can get and you're too important.  You have to get away and figure out what part you play in all this.  You're the key.  You have to be protected.  I'll do anything to protect you."  

Alec's eyes mimicked her own.  For the first time Max could see the man who was before her.  No mask to hide his feelings, no smart aleck remarks.  All the emotion he'd kept hidden inside.  Max's eyes widened. 'He loves me.  Oh God.' The tears that she held at bay, began to roll down her cheeks.  Reaching around his waist, she hugged him to her.  Her head against his chest, listening to his heart.  

"Mole will stay with me.  We won't stay any longer than necessary, then we're out of here.  We'll catch up at the rendezvous point." Alec hesitated, "It's a good plan.  It'll work.  I'll…I'll be there."  His voice cracked at the last part and he lay his head on hers.  She felt so good against him.  He never wanted to let go, but…

"It's time," he announced, as he pushed her away, "It's time to get this thing going."


	2. The Plan

Chapter 2 – The Plan 

The plan was simple really.  They would all enter the sewer system from a certain point in Terminal City.  As they reached a junction, they would split into smaller groups, following this pattern till there were no more than 5 in each unit. An X5 would accompany each group to help assure their safety out of Seattle.  The groups would be scattered throughout the City of Seattle, coming up out of the sewers at varying intervals.  Once out of the City, they were to head for a designated area in the mountains, where shelter could be found among of series of caves.  Luke and Dix would be in charge of organizing and settling them in.  The X5s would then regroup and form a protective perimeter.

In the meantime, ten X4s would assist Alec and Mole in leading the military away from the true escape route.  At a certain point the X4s would enter the sewers, splitting off into two groups.  Alec and Mole would make a stand, entering the sewers themselves, only when sufficient time had passed for the X4s to have a good head start.  All this with the military on their ass.   It was this part of the plan that put a lump in Max's throat.  Alec was hurt.  He'd lost a lot of blood battling that uberbitch.  What should have been a minor inconvenience to a transgenic, had become a handicap with the loss of blood.  Logan had made it a point to tell her how Alec had faltered.  

"If I hadn't been there, he'd probably be dead." 

Logan was so proud of his accomplishment.  It bothered Max that Logan had seemed almost happy to tell her.  Trying to elevate himself somehow, in her eyes.  At least that's how Max took it.  But all it really did was tell her that his wound was no longer a minor inconvenience. 

The need to be alone and think overwhelmed her.  She'd come to the roof to get away from the activity and noise, but it wasn't high enough.  So she watched from on high, as preparations were made for escape.  Charges were being planted at strategic points through out the City, effective pushing the military toward Alec and away from…me.  Max pulled her knees to her chest, lowering her head.  She hated all of this.  

"Little fella okay?"

Max startled, turning at the voice. "Joshua…what?  I'm okay.  Is something wrong?"

"Everything is wrong.  Don't like the plan."  

Joshua sat down hard beside Max.  She could see the turmoil in his face.

"It's a good plan, Joshua."

"No, Max.  Alec can't stay."

Max sighed.  She felt the same way.  Alec coming with them just wasn't going to happen.  Leaning over, she slipped her hand through Joshua's arm and lay her head against him.  

"It's the best chance we have to make sure everyone makes it out alive. That has to be our first priority." 

"Joshua didn't say not a good plan, said don't like the plan."

Max smiled, leaning in even closer.  "I don't like it either, but we don't have much choice."

"Alec needs to stay with us.  Joshua, Max and Alec family.  Big fella, Little fella need Medium fella to be whole."

Closing her eyes, Max thought about what Joshua said.  He was right.  Somewhere along the line they had become a family.   That smart mouth, womanizing, always in trouble, pain the ass, had become family.  Max opened her eyes suddenly.  Sitting up.  She understood now.  She didn't like it, but she understood.

"He's doing what he has to and he's being what he has to.  A soldier.  X5-494, but with a new purpose," Max looked intently into Joshua's face, "He's protecting his family." 

"Don't like the plan."  Joshua whimpered and lowered his head.

"I know."  Laying her head back against his arm, they sat there looking out over the edge of the roof.  Below they watched the activity in preparation of the battle ahead, and in the midst of all the activity, was Alec.

~ ~ ~


	3. I'm Up For It

A/N:  Some time back I refused to upload this chapter and the story in it's entirety in protest of a fellow writer and friend being yanked from ff.net for what I considered unjust reasons.  Since that time she has been able to post her stories without any problems.  So I decided I would repost this chapter as well as the next two.  Please take the time to review.  I appreciate all feedback, good or bad. Thanks.

Chapter 3

"Have your unit set the charges here, here and here." Alec pointed to strategic places along the route.  He intended to use the charges to force the military in a certain direction, but also slow them down should they backtrack.

"What about this area as well," Biggs replied.  Alec looked at where he was pointing.  

"We don't have enough.  So we have to pick and choose the locations.  I need maximum results from each explosive.  Any other questions?"

"No, I'll get on it right away."  Pausing for a moment Biggs continued, "Alec, let me stay behind with you.  The three of us would have a better chance of making it out alive."

Alec smirked at Biggs.  "You worried about me?"

"Hell no, I just don't want Max using me as her personal punching bag.  You know she'll have to substitute something without you around."

"You afraid of a little ass kicking?  She's just a girl."

"I don't know what planet you come from, but she's anything but just a girl."

Alec laughed, "Well my ass thanks you for your sacrifice."

"Seriously Alec, let me stay behind.  Let me help.  Let me help you get back to her."

Alec swallowed hard and shook his head, "No, I need you to be there.  To protect her.  I trust you more than anyone to do what needs to be done."

"You mean to make sure she doesn't try to come back."

Alec just stared at him for a moment, his face not revealing anything.  "She's too important to risk.  Don't disappoint me."  Alec held out his hand and Biggs grabbed it.

"You have my word." 

Turning away from Biggs, Alec motioned a waiting X-6 forward.

"Boxer, I have a job for you. We want to make it hard for them to cover ground.  Take a unit of 6's and scatter debris along this path.  Anything they can find to make it so they have to go around, climb or move stuff to get through." 

"Won't that cause them to backtrack and try and find another way?" asked Boxer.  

Boxer was one of many X-6s Alec had a hand in training back at Manticore.  He knew he could count on him to get the job done.  His name reflected his temperament.  He was always picking fights, mostly in defense of someone else.  At times defending Alec after the Berrisford mission.  Boxer was one of the few transgenics that remained loyal and respectful of him after that mistake.  Well, a mistake according to Manticore.  The only mistake he'd made was not trying harder.  He pushed that thought aside.  They had more pressing matters to attend to.

"No, it'll just make their progress slow.  With the charges we've set, retreating will be harder than going forward.  I just want a little more time to allow the X-4's to get away and for Mole and I to ready ourselves.  Now get going, there's not much time."

"Yes, sir." 

Alec grabbed his hand, as Boxer moved to salute him.

"Don't! I expect you to follow orders, but we're not at Manticore any more, and don't call me sir, it's Alec."

"Yes, ss…Alec."  Boxer smiled and turned to leave. 

Mole had been standing off to the side, leaning against a building, his arms crossed.   Alec knew he was watching and listening to all that had gone on, but had ignored him until now.  Folding the map of TC, he stepped toward Mole.

"You have a problem with anything I need to know about."

"Not with the plans or your strategies," Mole replied.

"Then what?"

Mole glanced briefly up to the roof of the HG building.  Alec followed his eyes and noted that Max and Joshua were no longer up there.  Mole's hand shot out jabbing him in the side.  

"That's what I have a problem with." 

"Ahhh," Alec cried out in pain and fell to one knee, clutching his side.  His eyes squeezed shut, as his breaths came in deep gasps.  

Reaching down, Mole grabbed Alec by the arm, jerking him up and shoving him against the wall.  Grunting on impact, Alec opened his eyes in anger.  He broke out in a sweat from the effort of trying to control his breathing. 

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Alec hissed.

Mole shoved his an arm against his throat.  

"What's wrong with me?  You're not just playing with your own life anymore.  How do I know you can hold up your end?"

Alec let his anger rise, then suddenly kneed the transhuman in the groin.  Bent over in pain, Mole staggered back, leaving himself open for a follow-up side kick.  The transhuman would have gone flying across the street, except Alec's hand blurred and grabbed his shirt, holding Mole just long enough to deliver a powerful right uppercut that lifted the transhuman off the ground.  Landing flat on his back a second later, the whoosh of air was heard as it was forced from his lungs.  But Alec wasn't finished yet.  Blurring again, he flipped Mole onto his stomach and pressed a knee painfully into his back.  Strong fingers grasped Mole's chin and the side of his head.  One twist was all it would take and Mole's existence would be no more.

"Oh I think I'm up for it."  

"I guess…you are," Mole chuckled, "That was pretty impressive."

"Adrenalin, it's the drug of choice."

Alec released him and gave him a hand up.  "How'd you know?" Alec asked.

"Saw it happen at Jam Pony.  You stumbled at the top of the stairs.  Figured it couldn't be that bad, since you never slowed down."

"It's not.  It won't slow me down."

"Let's have a look."

"I told you I'm fine.  We have work to do."

"She doesn't know, does she?"  Alec didn't reply.

Mole stepped closer to Alec, staring intently.  

"Okay, but I finish up.  You find a spot and get what rest you can."  

With that said, Mole slapped him on his good shoulder, turned and left.  Alec watched as he headed in the direction of the others.  Once out of sight, Alec stumbled back against the wall, the drug of choice, having worn off.  Mole was right, he needed to take what little time was left and rest.  But where?  He looked around and then up and smiled.  Max had already left the roof, she wouldn't be going back up there now.  He just needed to get up there without her seeing him.  

~ ~ ~ 

"This is Roseanne Dane reporting to you live from outside the NSA Command Post, where Tactical teams are preparing themselves for the fight ahead.  The National Guard have already spread out along the perimeter of Terminal City in order to prevent the possibility of escape.  Sources reveal that Special Forces troops are entering the City as we speak.  Once here, the joined forces will enter Terminal City in an effort to subdue the transgenics.   The hope is that there will be no casualties and all of Seattle will once again be safe from this ongoing threat."

~ ~ ~

Leutenant Ramon Clemente turned away from the TV report in disgust.  He'd been in a discussion with White now for 15 minutes, which so far, accomplished nothing. It was time to end this. 

"What do you mean, we stay out of it?"  Clemente spoke, his voice hard, "If you hadn't been so bent on taking over, we might have resolved this better.  Or did you just conveniently forget that your people blew it."

White's face strained with tension.  His jaw clenched in frustration.  "I didn't forget.  Doesn't change anything.  Keep your men out of it."

"What exactly are your orders, Special Agent in Charge White?"

"That's information is on a need to know basis.  You don't need to know anything." 

"I can understand using your own Tactical Teams and the National Guard, but Army's Special Forces?  Why would the government send Special Forces, if all they want to do is subdue the transgenics?"

"I told you, they're not human.  They're highly trained killers.  We may not be able to subdue them." 

"They didn't strike me as the killers you claim them to be.  The only person that died in there died at the hands or your men!" Clemente poked a finger in White's chest, "In fact, they had the opportunity to kill you, but didn't. Those are not the actions of killers!"

White clenched his teeth and stepped in close to Clemente's face, trying to intimidate him.  But Clemente didn't budge, which only served to anger White more.

 "What you think doesn't matter.  My authority still stands.  Stay out of my way," White ground out.  

Smiling, Clemente replied, "Well Special Agent in Charge White, it may be that you have the authority to stop us from going in, but I still have a responsibility to protect the people of Seattle…Don't get in my way."  

Clemente didn't wait for a reply from White.  He just walked past him bumping his shoulder as he went.

White's anger boiled inside him till he couldn't contain it anymore and in one swift move he slammed his fist down on a table.  Unfortunately, the table didn't survive.

End of Chap. 3

Please review

Thanks, BHG


	4. Goodbye

Chapter 4 - Goodbye

Logan's eyebrows knitted together in contemplation as he watched from the roof door, a sleeping Alec. Earlier Logan had been hacking into police headquarters in an effort to get some intel.  He'd been at it for some time, so he raised his head up from the screen and stretched.  Something caught his eye.  He turned and noticed Alec move quietly up the stairs to the roof.  Baffled by his actions, Logan looked over to where Max, Luke and Dix were going over maps of the sewer systems, double checking the routes, and being sure all the Xs knew their jobs.  Why hadn't Alec come in and made himself known?  It wasn't like him to pass up an opportunity to be with Max.  Not something Logan liked to dwell on.  In fact, he wished Alec had never entered their lives.  Since then Max had become more and more distant.  He was the real reason Logan was losing Max, not the virus.  The virus was just a temporary setback.  He'd find the cure somehow and then…what?  Max had already pushed him away, although Logan suspected that she wasn't really with Alec, but after their display earlier over whether Alec would stay behind or not, Logan just wasn't sure anymore.

So curiosity got the better of him and he made some excuse about needing to take a few minutes break. He watched as Alec sat down wearily.  Watched him lower his head down on his arms as they rested on raised knees.  Watched as Alec seemed to slowly sink into himself, laying over in an almost fetal position on his side.  Watched as he slumped into a deep sleep.   It couldn't be comfortable to lay on the roof like that.  But there he was.  'Crap.' Logan hated the feeling that was suddenly filling him, it felt like guilt.  He really wanted to have Alec out of his and Max's life, but not like this.   He wanted Max to see who was the best man for her.  He wanted her to see the 'pain in her ass' Alec for what he was.  Self-centered and irresponsible, except there was nothing self-centered or irresponsible about what he was getting ready to do.   'Could I have been wrong about him?' his mind wondered.  'Crap.'  Turning, Logan made his way back down the stairs.  As he glanced down and he slowed his pace.  There was OC, her face hard, staring up at him, her arms crossed in front of her. 

"Cindy, you okay?"

"Original Cindy's just fine.  She's wondering what's so interesting up there, though."

"Just looking for a few moments of quiet contemplation.  Things are going to get…busy and confusing soon."

"More like crazy and dangerous."

"Yeah, that too."  Logan stepped past OC, effectively ending any conversation.    OC stared after him and then upstairs frowning.  She'd seen Alec go up there earlier.  Logan's responses bothered her.  She'd just see for herself what was going on.  

Stepping out on the roof, OC's face softened at the sight before her.  She stepped slowing over to where he was laying.  He never moved. 'So much for superior hearing.' With a sad smile OC sat down next to Alec, facing him, legs crossed Indian style.  Unable to resist, she reached out, pushing some unkempt hair from his forehead.

 "Where's the smart aleck now?" she smiled, her voice soft.

Alec shifted and groaned, his hand instinctively going to his side…not his shoulder.  Cindy frowned.  She waited a moment until he stilled.  Reaching out carefully she lifted his uniform shirt a bit.  Sighing at the sight of a bloody bandage.  Looking at his face, she pulled her hand back.  Hugging herself with her arms, she closed her eyes.

"What are you doin', boo?"

For the first time, since Alec had forced his way into their lives, she realized that he might not be there anymore.  That scared the hell out of her.  What would happen to Max if he died?  'She loves the man, and doesn't know it.'  Reaching out to him once again, she ran her hand through his hair and caressed his cheek.

"I don't want you gone," she almost sobbed, quickly catching herself.  

Alec's eyes snapped open.

"Wha…Cindy?  Is something wrong?  Is Max okay?"  

"Shhhh…boo, it's okay.  Ain't nothin' goin' on.  Original Cindy didn't mean to wake you.  You's just lookin' a bit uncomfortable."  She ran her hand through his hair again and placed it on his shoulder to keep him from getting up.

Closing his eyes, Alec let out the breath he held and relaxed a bit.  Opening his eyes again, he looked at Cindy and frowned.

"I probably need to get up.  There can't be much time left."  

"No, Max says the military are just getting' ta town.   She figures it'll take a couple more hours before they even have their strategies planned.  They'll be buttin' heads with White and the Sector Police first."

"Still there's a lot to do," Alec replied, pushing to get up, but Cindy's hand pushed him back down.

"No, boo, you have a big job ahead of you and Original Cindy's gonna make it her business that you get ta rest.  Ain't nobody gonna bother you here.  Come on, let's get ya comfortable."  She opened her arms invitingly.

 Alec looked at her suspiciously.

"Are you feeling alright?  You're acting strange."

"Boo, you're startin' ta get on my last nerve.  Just get over here 'fore I change my mind."  

Alec hesitated, but only for a moment.  This was an opportunity he was not going to let slip him by.  Scooting over on his side, he wrapped his arms around her waist and snuggled into her lap.  'God she smells good. Who knew?' Part of her skin was exposed and Alec just couldn't help himself.  He gently kissed her belly.  Cindy laughed and smacked him lightly.

"That tickles, quit it and go to sleep."

"I had to do that you know."

"I know."

"You know if someone sees us they might think you've changed sides."

"Well it'd take a prettier boy than you ta do it.  I ain't gonna tell you again.  Go. To. Sleep."

"Okay, can I kiss it one more time?"

"No."

"Fine!" Alec sighed loudly against her skin, closing his eyes.  

Cindy shivered at the feel of her breath on her. Shaking her head at his antics she again began running her hand through his hair, like she would a child.  He snuggled closer and she could feel him begin to relax.   His breathing evened out and his arms became lax.  Feeling him go limp in her arms was unnerving to her, but she held back the tears that threatened to spill.  He needed rest and she was going to make sure he got it.  Cindy tore her eyes from his face and looked around her.  Her eyes stopped at the door to the roof and her breath caught in her throat.  Leaning in the doorway was Max, her face against the jam, just watching them.  

Alec moaned in his sleep and Cindy held him a little tighter.

"Shhhh…it's okay boo.  I'm watchin' your back," Cindy's eyes never left Max's.  

Max smiled sadly and nodded to Cindy.  Lowering her face, she turned and went back down the stairs as quietly as she had come up. 

                                                                        ~ ~ ~ 

The Army Special Forces group arrived, led by a Colonel Foster.  Lt. Clemente made it a point to meet the man.  Or at least he tried, until White intercepted him.

"You're no longer in this Clemente, so back off!"

"Why don't we let the Colonel decide that.  I'm sure he has his own ideas of what needs to be done." 

White stepped forward menacingly.  "I told you…"

"Gentlemen," Foster announced as he stepped up to them.  Holding out a hand to Clemente, "I'm Colonel Foster and you would be?"     

Clemente turned his eyes away from White.

"Ramon Clemente, Seattle Police," reaching out and taking the Colonel's hand,  "Good to meet you sir."

"Ah, Clemente, I've heard good things about you.  I'm going to need a full report on the incident at Jam Pony Messengers and I'd like you to stick around, I may have some questions to ask you."  

"No problem Colonel. I can have it to you within the hour," Clemente replied. 

Foster turned toward White.

"You must be Special Agent White."  Foster's hand was not forthcoming.  

"Yes Sir."

"I'm told you have a command post set up."

"Yes sir, this way."  White glanced at Clemente one more time, before stepping away with the Colonel.

Clemente just smiled.  Something about making that man mad gave him a warm fuzzy feeling inside.  He just couldn't help himself.  He didn't like the man.  He was dangerous and with him around, Clemente knew someone was going to die.  Grabbing his cell phone he called in to his second.

"Brooks, I need those reports here asap.  Be sure and include everything we know about these transgenics.  I also want you to include…"

"Sir, you need to come in," Brooks interrupted.

"What's going on?"

"We downloaded the footage from the hoverdrones.  You need to see 'em."

"What's on them?"

"Lieutenant, just get in here."

Clemente paused, "I'll be there in five."  He knew Brooks well enough to know not to question him further and headed for his car.

                                                                        ~ ~ ~ 

Alec felt a nudge.  He ignored it.

"Alec, you need to wake up now, boo."

More of a nudge this time, a small shake.  He moaned something incoherent and hid his face.  Then something more, not a shake or a nudge, a painful kick in the leg this time.

"Hey! Get up."

A muffled "Ow" issued forth and Alec's eyes shot open.

That was not Cindy's voice.   Moaning Alec turned and looked up into Mole's face.  Not a pleasant thing to see when one wakes up for the day…or rather night.  Alec's eyes narrowed and he tried his best to mimic Max's 'I am so gonna kick your ass' look.  It could shrink back the best of them.

"Go away."

"I said get up.  You're needed, now."  Mole moved to kick Alec again…

"Hey! You touch my boo again and I'll turn you into a new pair a boots.  So back off!" Cindy cried, hovering protectively over Alec.

Both Alec and Mole stared at Cindy in shock. Then Alec shook his head as if to clear it, and smirked at Mole, thoroughly enjoying the situation.  Mole leaned in and sneered in Cindy's face. 

"I need him, now." 

Cindy grabbed his collar and pulled him in even closer.  

"And I said….Back off!" 

Mole growled, jammed a half used cigar in his mouth and stormed off, slamming the door to the roof as he went through.  Both Cindy and Alec jumped at the sound of splintering wood.  Laughing Alec sat up.

"I think you should stay behind with me instead of Mole.  You're a lot scarier than he is."

Cindy slapped him.

"Ow!  Well you are."

"Shut up!  That's not funny."  Cindy crossed her arms and tried her best to look angry, but she couldn't hold it long.  Especially with Alec clutching his chest and giving her a wounded puppy dog look.  She bit her lip to keep from smiling and averted her eyes.  Suddenly Alec leaned in and kissed her quickly on the lips, then covered his head in anticipation of a beating.

"Hey! What the hell are you doin'? I told you, you're not pretty enough."

"That," peeking through his arms, "was a thank you."

"For what?"

"Watching my back while I slept.  Facing off with Mole for me," he said more seriously, lowering his arms when no attack was forthcoming.

Cindy stood up, gave Alec a hand up and stepped forward into a hug, "You're Welcome."

"Time to go," Alec said.  Cindy looked up sadly.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

                                                ~ ~ ~

Preparations had gone smoothly.  Max saw to all the groups and made all the assignments of X5s to each group.  A few groups would be lead by X4's who, like Mole and Luke, were created for a specific military purpose.  Alec double checked the placement of explosives along the path he and his unit would take.  Logan kept them abreast of any information about the Sector Police or NSA activities.  Dix listened in on all transmissions and reported on anything relevant to ascertain the time of invasion by the military.  Joshua was to make sure any available supplies were distributed evenly among the transhumans.  Everything was in place to go.  Max's team would head into the sewers first. Their hope was that most of their people would be well into the sewers and under the City, before the military advanced.  It was time to say goodbye.

Alec handed Dalton an automatic handgun and watched as the boy pulled the clip, checked it and put it in his waistband.  Biggs was already armed to the hilt.  Gem had also prepared herself.  Somewhere she had acquired clothes more befitting what was going to happen.  She resembled what she was created for, a soldier on the ready.  Well, a soldier with a baby to her bosom wasn't exactly intimidating, but Alec could only imagine what she would do to protect that baby or what Biggs might do for that matter.  He seemed to become awful close to them in the last few hours.  It had been decided that Gem, Dalton and the baby would go with Max's group.  It made it a little larger, but once they had Sketchy and OC returned to their homes, it would just be the five again, not counting the baby.  Alec shook his head, 'the baby.'  Gem barely had time to get used to holding her, let alone give her a name.  So until that time, she was 'the baby.'   Turning his attention back to Dalton, Alec gave him his last minute instructions.

"Your job is to watch Gem's back.  No matter what, you stay close to her and the baby.  She needs to be able to function as a soldier.  With your added protection, she'll be less distracted by the baby.  Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Don't call me…never mind.  Get going."

Dalton hesitated.

"Whaddya doing?"

"Sir…I feel like…I feel…"

"What?"  Alec watched as Dalton moved toward him, hesitantly.  Dalton looked around him and then threw himself at Alec, hugging him.  This was very unManticore like behavior.  Slowly Alec raised his arms around the boy pulling him tighter.  Dalton suddenly let go just as quickly, turned and took a position by Gem.  He didn't look back.  Alec smiled sadly at the odd group in front of him.  Biggs looked up as he cocked his pistol and placed it in his holster.  Their eyes held for several seconds, then Biggs nodded once.  They were ready.

Alec saw that Max was at the entrance of the sewer readying herself to enter.  She wouldn't look at him.  She'd barely talked to him since she accepted that he was staying behind.  He felt his heart sink.  But it was probably for the best.  He wasn't sure, even at this point, if he could stand to see the look in her eyes again, to see her face for what would probably be the last time.  Swallowing hard, he turned away.  He didn't want to watch her leave.  It hurt too much. He had barely taken two steps when a force pushed him from behind.  Stumbling he turned around in anger, ready to strike and stopped dead.

There was Max standing before him, breathing hard, hands tight fisted, her eyes dark and intense.  God it hurt, it hurt so bad to look into those eyes.  They reached deep into his heart, tearing at it. But he hid behind the soldier's mask and stepped forward angry.

"What are you doing Max? I almost hit you."

She stepped right up to him, never taking her eyes away from his.

"Swear to me…swear you'll be there."

Alec shook his head, "Max…I"

Max shoved him again, "Swear to me!  And don't lie to me, Alec! I'll know."  

Alec tried to swallow the lump that seemed to want to choke him.  How could he swear to something he wasn't sure he could do.  He looked past her, saw Logan avert his eyes and look to the ground.  Saw Sketchy with is arms around OC hugging her close, OC's face buried in his chest, Joshua stepping back and forth from foot to foot, waiting.  They were all waiting to hear his reply.  Alec hung his head.

"I can't…I want to, but I can't."

Alec felt her grab his shirt and pull.  Her lips were on his, desperate, crushing.  His arms came around her pulling her close.  'God, she tasted so good.'  To his regret, she pulled away.  Her hands coming around his neck, her body trembling.  She pressed her lips to his ear.

"Swear to me," she whispered, "Please."

Alec shut his eyes, burying his face in her neck.  She pulled away slightly taking his face in her hands.  Intense eyes again searching his.  

"Alec, please."

Long seconds seem to slip by, Alec swallowed hard.  Time seemed to stand still.  

"I swear," he whispered.  Then grabbing her arms, he shoved her away, the soldier's mask back in place and X5-494 turned and left.  

Max stared after him until he was a blur in her watery eyes.  Turning she walked back to the sewer entrance ready to enter.  

"Let's go people!" she commanded, "This really is for all the marbles." 


	5. Sniper Fire

A/N:  I make fun of myself in this chapter.  See if you catch it.  Petal did.  Thanks Darlin'.

Chapter 5

"Damn it!  I knew there was something not right about that man and his…team."  

Clemente paced back and forth in front of the computer terminal.   They'd just finished reviewing the feeds from the hoverdrones.  Clemente had ordered the drones sent in after the shooting of a hostage took place by White's man.  He was especially interested in seeing what White and his 'so-called tactical team' were up to.  They couldn't hear what was happening, but they could see it.  They had footage from three different angles.  

They had watched as 'Max' ordered everyone up stairs.  Watched as two transgenics remained behind long enough to cover everyone's move.  Only when everyone was upstairs and the shooting started did they move to join the rest.  

"See here, sir, she knows they're coming.  She's moved all the hostages to a safe place, out of the line of fire," Brooks observed.

"That doesn't seem like the actions of a crazed killer, does it?" Clemente observed. 

"No sir, it doesn't."

They continued to watch as White's tactical team seem to slither down from the ceiling.  Finally, they engaged the transgenics in hand to hand combat.  Clemente and Brooks watched as they saw White going toe to toe with a Lizard looking mutant and getting the best of him.  

"That's…that's not human," Brooks spoke in shock.

Clemente didn't reply he just watched, his blood running cold at the sight before them.  'How could White prevail against a transgenic?'  That was a question he needed answered. 

The footage finally ended.   Clemente started pacing.  

"She stopped him."

"What?" Clemente stopped and looked at his second.  

"She stopped that dog guy…man…whatever he is, from killing White and earlier, that other transgenic, the wounded one?  He was almost killed by that female member of White's team.  Even wounded, he should have been no match for her.   Maybe…maybe they're telling the truth.  Maybe they're not the ones we need to be worried about," Brooks stared wide eyed at his superior.

"Has anyone else seen this?" Clemente asked.

"No.  As soon as I saw what it was, I called you."

"I want you to make two copies of this.  Take one and put it away for safe keeping.  Give me the other copy. Get rid of what's on the hard drive."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I don't know yet, but we can't let White's people know we have this."

"White's NSA, he's part of the federal government.  If he's part of…whatever the hell this is?  Who do we trust? There's no telling how high up they are."

"I don't know.  Hurry up," frustrated, Clemente began pacing again, trying to gather his thoughts.

Brooks slipped a CD in and began copying the footage.  He turned to Clemente, "We don't even know how many of them there are.  Didn't you tell me he had the Governor's backing?"  

"Yeah, it's where he got his authority to take over our hostage situation.  Senator McKinley seems pretty involved with getting the transgenics subdued as well.  I've seen White with him a few times."

"Do you think they're transgenics of some kind too."

"I don't know.  I don't think so.  White seems to have a hatred for the transgenics.  He acts like they're bugs of some kind that need done away with."

Handing the CD to Clemente, Brooks added, "I gotta tell ya, Ramon, this is scaring the hell out of me."

"You and me both.  Look I want you to do a thorough background check on White, Senator (What's his name? ) and the Governor.  I want to know if there are any connections between them before now and if there is, how far back they're connected.  I have to get back to the command post.  I'm going to feel this Colonel out.  It was obvious that he didn't like White any more than me.  It could be we can trust him.  I'll decide that after I see what he's going to do."

Clemente grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.  Hesitating he turned, pointing his finger at Brooks.

 "Don't tell anyone about this.  The less that know, the less chance of White's people finding out anything.  Do you understand?"

"More than I want to, Ramon.  More than I want to."

Brooks sat down at the computer terminal and started on the dirty work.

 ~ ~ ~

Max's units were just entering the dangerous part of their journey; the route taking them directly under Sector Police Headquarters.  Once past, they would split two more times.  Leading the way Max signaled her group to stop and moved forward, catlike, until she was directly under a manhole in front of Police Headquarters.  Slowly she made her way up.  There was no sound from her movements.  Pausing she listened.  

"Leutenant?"

"Cooper, what's up?"

Max shut her eyes and concentrated.  That was Clemente's voice.

"Sir we've done a sweep of the area, it's all clear.  Do you want us to relocate to Terminal City?"

"How many squads are left in this section of the City?"

"Three sir.  The rest are working with the National Guard securing the perimeter of TC."

Steps.  Moving closer to her.  Max eyes shot open and she looked up.  Clemente stopped just above the grate.  Melding back into the wall, Max continued to listen, thankful that her pounding heart could not be heard.

"My gut tells me we're missing something…No…I want you and your men on the alert around the City.  I especially want to know if any of White's people show up anywhere else in the City."

"You don't trust him either, do you sir?"

Max watched from the shadows, as Clemente looked up at the officer.

"No, I don't," genuine disgust in his voice.

"We'll do what needs done, sir."

"Good, I'm headed over to the Command Center.  I'll see what I can find out from there.  Notify Brooks of any relevant information.  Cooper," he voice commanding, "it's important that you do whatever he tells you.  Do you understand?"

"I understand, sir."  

Max saw Clemente leave and heard a car door open and close.  Closing her eyes once again, Max listened as the car drove off and Cooper walked in the direction of  Police Headquarters.  She let go of the breath she'd been holding and made her way back  to the others.  Max signaled Biggs, Gem and Dalton to move ahead to predetermined junction points just on the other side of Headquarters.  Once in place, Max signaled her people to move forward.  Joshua moved forward first with the baby held close in his arms.  Sketch, OC and Logan came up behind him.  As they reached Biggs, he signaled for them to break off and go a direction that would bring them home.  Once past Biggs moved with them.  As the rest reached Gem and Dalton, they broke off into final groups.  Each with an X-5 in the Lead.  Gem and Dalton made their way back to Max at the first junction.  Signalling them to go, they headed in the same direction Biggs had taken.  Max hesitated, turning her head back the way they'd come, and frowned. 'Was that gun fire?' The knot that resided in her stomach seemed to grow to overwhelming proportions making her feel sick. 

"Alec!" her voice so low, no human could hear it, "Remember…remember what you said."

Swallowing the bile that wanted to rise in her throat, Max turned and set off after her unit.  'Your unit comes first.'  Those words echoed in her mind over and over.  With each echo the sickness she felt lessened, but not by much.   

                                                            ~ ~ ~ 

Alec's head snapped up and he looked around.

"Are you listening to me?" Mole ground out.

"Shhh…wait a minute," Alec shut his eyes and concentrated. Nothing. 

"What?" Mole asked, Alec's actions putting him on the alert.

Alec opened his eyes, frowning, "I thought I heard..."

"What?"

Shaking his head to clear it, Alec waved his hand dismissively, "Nothing…It's alright.  What've we got?"

Mole stared at him for a moment, eyes narrowing, "As I was saying…this is the intel Dix was able to gather before leaving.  It's about the military force that arrived. You're not going to like it."

"Well what's not to like about this?  Should make life more interesting," Alec looked up from the report.  A cocky smile on his face.

"It's Special Ops?.…Delta Force?…You know, a counter-terrorist unit specializing in hostage rescue," Mole responded incredulously.

"Maybe they think we need rescuing," Alec's smile widened.

Grinning back, Mole stuck a cigar in his mouth, "Yeah that's it."  

Both their smiles vanished at the sound of gunfire.  It had come from the east entrance. Reaching up Alec activated his com.

"Three, this is One.  What's happening?"

"Sniper fire.  Five is down.  We're trying to get to him.  Our cover fire is having little affect."

"Hold your positions."

Alec blurred in the direction of the entrance.  Mole followed closely behind him.  Alec slowed to assess the situation.  One X-4 was on the ground this side of the gate, blood pooling beneath him.   Two others were firing from a rooftop to the left of the entrance.  A third was trying to get to the downed X-4, without success.  Bullets were hitting around him every time he tried to move forward.  Alec's eyes followed the sound of sniper fire.  Mole came up behind him.  Seeking the cover of a doorway four feet from Alec

"What've we got?" Mole asked.

"Sniper fire. One down."

"You got the shooter? I can't see anyone."

Alec's eyes zoomed in on the area where the shots were coming from.  He could just make out a rifle barrel. 

"Yeah I got him."

"Can you get him from here?"

"No, I'll have to get higher.  I'll need your rifle."

Mole pulled his rifle from his shoulder and tossed it to Alec.  Alec reached up and removed his com link, tossing it to Mole.

"Take my com thingy, tell 3 to hold position till I'm in place."

Mole snatched the com link, looking at Alec like he was nuts.

"What did you call this?"

"What are you talkin' about?  It's a com link? Weren't you trained in its use?"

Mole stared at him open mouth.  

"Nice Lizard in the headlights look.  Well?"

Mole shook his head, "Yes, I was trained to use one."

"Good, because I don't have time to train you.  I have a sniper to take out."  

Without waiting for a response, Alec turned and climbed the fire escape to the roof.  When he reached the top, Alec looked back down at Mole, eyes wide, mouth in an open smile, he wiggled his brows and blurred to the other end of the roof to take up the position he needed to do the job.  

"That little piece a…" Mole grumbled staring at the com, "Three!" he shouted,  "Hold position.  One is going to take out the shooter."  Mole focused on the building across the way. "Com thingy…hmpf."

                                                            ~ ~ ~ 

Sitting back in his chair, Colonel Foster threw the folder containing White's reports on the desk.  White had already explained his plan to 'subdue' the transgenics.  

"Your so called tactical plan is more of a search and destroy mission than an attempt to subdue them.  Did you really think I wouldn't see the difference?"

White stepped forward, his face hard. "No, I figured you'd see the need.  These are not normal humans.  They're freaks and I know what they're capable of doing.  You can't use normal tactics where they're concerned.  It's the only way."

"Shoot first, ask questions later will not accomplish what's needed.  I'm not interested in wiping them out.  My orders are to subdue and take them into custody."

"With their training and abilities, they'll make your men look like toy soldiers."

"I know exactly what their capabilities are.  Did you honestly think the government would develop a contract with Manticore and not know what they were doing?  Did you think the only records of each developed soldier only existed at the Manticore facility?"

Standing, Foster moved toward White, his face devoid of all emotion.  "I know exactly what they are."

"Then you should understand how dangerous they are.  You can't…"

White's words were interrupted when the gunfire started.

"What the hell have you done White?"

White smiled, "I don't know what you mean."

At that point Foster's second entered.

"Report!" Foster ordered.

"Sniper fire sir.  Directed into Terminal City from a building across from here."

"Send a team in.  Stop that shooter.  Use any means necessary."

"Sir, yes sir."  Turning his Second left.

                                                            ~ ~ ~ 

Alec positioned himself just below an old advertising sign at the edge of the building.  In the shadow of the billboard he would be invisible to the shooter.  But Alec could see him clearly.  Lifting the rifle into place, he stretched his neck before sighting down the barrel.  Movement on the street caught his eye and he noticed a team of Special Forces entering the building where the shooter was.  He thought for a moment about letting them take care of it.  That moment past and he sighted down the rifle once again.  He needed to give them a message and couldn't think of a better way to do it, than to take the shooter out himself.  Alec zoned out everything around him except the target.  No sounds or movement penetrated his mind.  Zeroing in on the target, Alec slowly squeezed the trigger.

                                                            ~ ~ ~

Delta force broke through the door just as Alec fired.  

"Aaaah, my face!" the shooter screamed, clutching his face and rocking back and forth.  Lt. Gamble and his team circled around him, careful to stay out of the line of fire.  Grouching down Gamble grabbed the man by his jacket and pulled him to safety.  Flipping him over he subdued the shooter with handcuffs.  The man cried out in pain. 

"Take him," he ordered. 

Gamble's eyes shifted to the sniper rifle, staring for a moment.  Standing, Gamble stepped over to the rifle and into the line of fire, but he knew nothing would happen.  Looking out the window toward Terminal City a look of awe came over his face.  As he stared over to the building, what he saw had to be a transgenic.  He stood up, stepped into the light.  Suddenly he gave Gamble a quick salute, turned and was gone in a blur.    

"Sir, you need to move, sir."

"Huh? Oh…No…it's alright Corporal, I'm not in any danger.  At least not yet."  Bending over he lifted the sniper rifle from the floor to examine it.  The bullet had hit the stock of the rifle causing it to split and splinter into the shooter's face.

"Son of a Bitch," Gamble laughed out and followed his men out.

End of chapter 5


	6. I'll Fight Hard, Maxie

A/N:  Special Ops teams often times refer to each other according to a number or nickname.  The CO would be One, his second in command Two and so on.  Alec is One, Mole is Two, Five is down. Assume that Alec has re-designated their numbers out of necessity, because in this chapter he will now be short three X4s.  You have to read to find out why. : ) Thanks to Petal for Beta reading and Jonty for correct terminology.  Chapter 6 

Holding his side, Alec grimaced as he made his way down to the street.  The recoil from the shot, caused a sharp pain to shoot through his side.   Fortunately, it had not started bleeding again.  He could deal with pain. Block it out.  By the time he'd stepped onto the street his face showed no sign of any problem or pain.

Mole and the others had pulled the downed X4 out of the line of fire and were in the process of checking her wound. 

"How is she?"  Alec inquired, looking down at the X4 whose face resembled a bird of prey. Her look was one that Alec would describe as exotic.

"Not good. She took one high in the chest.  If we can get her out, she might live."

Alec squatted down next to her.  Her breathing was labored and in her eyes he saw fear.  

"Looks like you're out of it, 5."

"I…can…still…fight, sir," she struggled, her hand reaching out.

Alec took her hand in his and squeezed lightly.  "I know you can, but I'm ordering you out.  Besides I might need you later.  What's your name?" 

"Chick Girl. Not…very original…is it, sir?"  Her eyes closed as obvious pain seem to try and overwhelm her.  He ran his hand through her hair, settling it on her cheek in an effort to try and help her through it.  Her eyes opened at his touch and she saw real concern and caring in his eyes.  No one had ever cared before.  It seemed to give her strength.

"I like it," Alec smiled, "Let's get you ready to go."  Reaching under her knees and shoulders, Alec lifted her as carefully as he could.   Cradling her to his chest he set off toward HQ.  

Chick shuddered at the warmth she felt and relaxed.  She decided then, she would live.  She would not disappoint her Commander. 

                                                                        ~ ~ ~ 

Clemente pulled up to Command post, just as a Special Ops team exited the building across from the Command Post.  They were half dragging a man out of the building.  Colonel Foster was standing waiting for them to reach him.  Clemente approached him, but stayed back a bit to see what was going on.

Gamble signaled his men to take the prisoner inside, as he stepped up to the Colonel.  Lifting the sniper rifle, he presented it to him.

Wide eyed, Colonel Foster took the rifle in his hands and examined it closely.  He raised his eyes and looked at the building where the shot had come from.  

"Son of a Bitch!" Foster exclaimed.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Colonel."  Gamble said, a crude smile on his face.

Not realizing what was going on, Clemente spoke up.  "I don't understand, what happened?"

"A Sniper, sir, in this building," Gamble answered, as he waved a hand in the direction from which they came, "It looks like he's been up there waiting for a chance to take a shot at the transgenics.  He got his chance and from what we could see, took one down."

"I'm sure the shooter didn't count on this," the Colonel continued, handing the rifle to Clemente.

Clemente looked at the rifle stock, confusion still on his face.  The Colonel elaborated for him. 

"We've been given a message Lieutenant, a very important one. It tells us something about what we're up against."

"And that is?" Clemente asked.

"Snipers are used in all branches of Law Enforcement.  I'm sure you have some of your own, but a Sniper, trained in the military is different.  We've used them to strike terror in the hearts of our enemies. They're a special breed of men.  They almost always work alone.  Solo missions, assassinations.   Their ability to sneak in and out of enemy territory, in order to hit a target is legendary.  Their motto being 'one bullet, one kill.'

"But he didn't kill the shooter."

"No, but he let us know he's there, what he is and what his capabilities are."

"His capabilities?" Clemente inquired.

Gamble spoke up, "Only a handful of men in the world could make a shot like that.  The easy shot would have been to kill.  He chose not to."

Realization dawned on Clemente and he looked from the rifle to Terminal City, to the building the shooter was in.

"Son of a Bitch!"

~ ~ ~

White stood back, just inside the door of the Command Post.   His eyes narrowed in anger, as he watched his man being dragged toward him.  White stepped aside, not looking at the shooter, disgust evident on his face for the failure.  

Colonel Foster, Gamble and Clemente returned to the command center.  Foster merely looked at White for an explanation.

"You weren't here Colonel. You haven't had to deal with these freaks.  Besides I have full authority to do whatever I deemed necessary to protect the citizen's of Seattle."

"You had full authority.  Not anymore."  With that said, Colonel stepped past him. 

White turned and spoke, "I still have that authority Colonel, until it's taken from me by my superiors.  The Governor of Seattle also gave me that authority." 

The Colonel stopped in his tracks turned.  He looked at Gamble and gave him a slight nod.  Gamble reached inside his flack jacket and handed White some papers.

"Well Mr. White as you can see, your authority has been taken from you.  These orders are from your Commander and Chief.  This is no longer an NSA operation.  The moment I stepped into town, it became a Military operation.  More troops are moving into the City as we speak. What you get to do or not do is left to my discretion."  Foster stepped a little closer, shook his head slightly and smiled, "And I can tell you now, that from my standpoint thus far, it won't be much."

"You're making a mistake," White sneered.

Colonel Foster ignored him and looked at Clemente, "Do you have those reports I asked for?"

"Yes sir, I do."

"Good. Oh and White? Get your man out of here.  He seems to need some doctoring."

~ ~ ~ 

Thomas Brooks had been in law enforcement for 15 years.  He had seen a lot in that time.  All manner of crimes and violence to the point where he'd become desensitized to it over the years.  Nothing surprised him anymore, until today.  But more than surprise, he began to feel something he hadn't felt in years, fear.  What he was looking at on the computer screen scared the hell out of him.  Oh, he'd found a connection alright.  More than that, he'd found a school with an alumni that was very impressive.  People in different areas of power were graduates of this school, be it political or industrial.  Ramon would want to see all this, so he began copying the information.  

                                                                        ~ ~ ~

Max couldn't believe they'd made it this far without incident.  They were now just below Sketchy's place.  It had been decided that OC would stay with Sketchy for the time being, since they're apartment might be under surveillance now.  It was possible that they didn't find out where Max lived, since OC had removed their files from Jam Pony, but she still was not sure where Normal stood.  He could've easily told the sector police that OC was her roommate.  Her gut instincts told her that Normal didn't do this, but it might not stop one of the other messengers from telling the police.  Better safe than sorry later or so she'd thought.

They waited patiently for Logan and Biggs to give the all clear and then OC and Sketchy would return to some semblance of the life they had before. At least that's what they hoped. Gem, Dalton and Sketchy had taken up a position opposite to Max and Cindy.  Joshua was not far from them holding the baby.  Max stared at his face, as he rocked her back and forth.  He had a look of pure wonderment, as he reached a finger down and she grabbed it.  

"Hey boo," Cindy had stepped up to Max, "who would have thought dog boy would make such a good nanny."

"Not me," Max laughed, "You doing okay?"

"No, I'm not.  I don't want to stay.  I want to go with you."

Max sighed and reached out to her.  They held each other tight, not wanting to let go. Saying goodbye was not something she wanted to do.

"I know you want to go with us, but I need to know you're safe.  I can't worry about you now."

Cindy pushed away and turned, "I know that, sister girl. You explained all that ta me before, but I don't have ta  like it.  I just feel like I need ta help."

Max reached up and turned her back to face her.  "You will be a help.  I need a way to keep up with what's happening here.  We will be essentially cutoff for a while and whatever you might be able to tell us, may save a life."

"I hadn't thought of that," a melancholy smile on her face, "That's somethin' I can do…but I still don't want ta stay."

"I know.  I wish things were different.  I keep wondering what I could have done different that might have had a better outcome."

"Does no good to second guess yourself now.  There was too much goin' on in the mix to know what was right.  You just have ta keep movin' forward."

"I just don't want anyone else to get hurt, because of my choices."

"Especially a certain 'pain in the ass?" Cindy smiled as she spoke.

It was Max who turned away this time. "They say you don't appreciate what you have until you don't have it anymore.  I don't want to wait until then.  I want…I want to show him…" Turning back to Cindy, tears in her eyes, Max leaned against the wall and slid down to a sitting position.

Cindy sat down next to Max and put her arm around her shoulder, leaning her head on her shoulder and listened.

"That night I got him out of jail, was the first time I saw Alec. I mean really saw Alec.  It was the first time I could look at him and not see Ben."

"He's always been there, Boo.  You just didn't want to see him."

"God, Cindy, I was such a bitch to him.  I don't understand why he stayed around."

"How long you gonna stay in denial?  You know why your boy stayed." Cindy lifted her head and looked at Max. "And don't even try to tell me he ain't your boy."

Max's tears came more freely as she lowered herself into Cindy's arms

"I've wasted so much time. I don't want to lose him, OC," she sobbed, "I can't lose him."

OC's tears joined hers, "I know, Boo.  I know." 

                                                                        ~ ~ ~ 

Chick had been treated as best they could and sent on with two other X4, one to carry her and the other to provide protection.  This would leave them short handed, but it couldn't be helped.  Alec refused to sacrifice Chick in order to better their chances.  Alec knew the time was getting close.  Delta Force had sent in a recon team in, less than 30 minutes earlier.  It had been expected. Their purpose was to try gather as much intel as they could, and ascertain what they would be up against.  So they allowed them to come in and gather information, but only what they wanted them to know.  When the time came, Alec encouraged their retreat with a few well placed shots.  So now they were going over their plans making sure everything was in place.  

"The only strategy that they could use is to come in from three different angles.  Here, here and here," Alec pointed to all three areas on the map.

"This has been confirmed by our own intel," Mole interjected, as he held up a com link, smiling.  

"They'll stick close together, by coming in from these three sides they'll attempt to corner us.  If anything goes wrong they've essentially surrounded us. Except we'll be anything but surrounded."

"You want my team here?" Mole asked.

"Yeah, they should encounter you immediately.  Once you engage them, you'll start to retreat slowly.  At the same time you'll change positions often, causing them to think there are more of you than just the six.  When they reach this point, you'll engage them more heavily to keep their attention focused on you until they pass my team's position.  Once past we'll start to pick them off one at a time from behind.  We'll gather com links and weapons from them for our use."

"Oh! Oh! Can you get me one of those Delta Force T-shirts? I love those," Mole asked excitedly.

Alec stared at him blankly, "I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, man," Mole replied, slapping him on the back. 

"Anybody else have a request?" Alec looked around from one to the other.  They all looked away, except for one.  "Yeah, what?" Alec asked him.

"Well um…a pair of boots would be nice."

"Really?" Alec asked, just to be sure.

"Um…yeah."

Alec looked down at his feet and noted that he didn't have anything on them.  Alec closed his eyes and shook his head.  

"Boots it is," he announced laughing, "Can we get back to the mission now?" 

"Yes sir."

"Uh huh."

"Yeah."

"Sure that would be good."

"Absolutely."

"Oh, good idea."

"Go on," Mole encouraged last.  

Alec shut his eyes again and pinched the bridge of his nose in contemplation.  'My God, what was I thinking letting Mole pick the team?'

"Okay," Alec paused and looked around, just in case, before continuing, "It's very important that when you engage Delta Force, you are to incapacitate only, as in 'walking wounded', he emphasized this, "No fatalities, is that clear. It's important these guys can walk away from this."

"Oh come on, just one." 

Alec sighed, "Mole, no fatalities."

"We'll see," Mole replied, a sly look on his face. 

"Okay," Alec glared at Mole, "a special ops knife to go with the T-shirt."

Alec watched as Mole chewed on his cigar, considering the deal.  A smile broke his face and he nodded.

"Deal."

Alec raised his eyebrows and waved his hand over the map in a gesture to continue.  Mole shrugged. 

"Okay, when your team reaches this point, Delta Force will be well aware that we are on both sides.  At this point I'll set off the first set of charges, forcing them forward.  Things will really begin to heat up.  While I know Delta Force is specially trained for Close Quarters Battle, your training exceeds theirs, so that shouldn't pose a real problem.  However, because things will intensify, they will no longer be trying to subdue us, they've been trained to double tap.  One shot to bring you down, a second shot to make sure you don't get back up.  Stay out of their line of fire, if possible."

Mole continued, "From here Alec will go high and cover our retreat to the sewer entrance.  Once there, I'll set off the last set of explosives.  You will proceed into the sewers and not stop until you reach the rendezvous  point.  Understood?"  

Alec's head snapped up, his hand going to his earpiece.  "They're coming.  Take your positions."  

~ ~ ~

Bigg's, Logan and Max turned into an alley that led back the sewers after escorting OC and Sketch to his apartment building.  It had been a tough goodbye, but their journey was far from being over.  

A black sedan pulled over a block from the alley.  The darkened window slowly descended revealing an NSA agent with a heat sensor device.  Lifting his phone he dialed his superior.

"White here."

"Sir, we've picked up two transgenics on the move in Sector 5.  They're accompanied by a human male."

"We knew there would be some out and about.  Keep track of their direction."

"Sir, you need to know that one of the transgenics is a female.  Her description matches that of 452."

White, who had been walking toward the Command Post, stopped dead.  "Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir."

A cruel smile crept up his face as he looked toward Terminal City, "They're already gone."

"Sir?"

"Could you identify the other transgenic? Was it 494?"

"Sir, it was not 494."

"Keep track of them," he ordered, "I'll be sending the tactical team as soon as possible."

"Yes Sir."

White snapped his phone shut.  He turned toward TC with his hands on his hips contemplating who was there holding down the fort. The cruel smile back in place he reopened his phone.

"It looks like you're going to get that second chance after all.  452 was spotted in Sector 5…No I'll catch up.  I need to confirm something here first."  Shutting his phone once again he signaled for Otto to come over.

"Sir."

"452 has been spotted in Sector 5 entering the sewer system.  I believe the shooter that took out our man is 494."

"If 452 is in Sector 5, then 494 has to be close.  Whenever we've encountered her, he's not far away, watching her back."

"Oh he's still watching her back.  He's doing it from here."

Otto frowned in confusion. "Are you going to inform the Colonel?"

"That arrogant ass! Not a chance.  Let's go."

~ ~ ~

Colonel Foster sat back after reading the Police Reports.  More than ever he realized how important it was to try to make contact with the transgenics and negotiate an amicable agreement.  His orders, though, were to subdue them.  Negotiating was not an option he'd been given.  The information from the police reports would help to solidify his position and convince his superiors to seek what he considered a better way.  But he was going to need more information.  Engaging the transgenics would work in that direction.  How they reacted to his men invading Terminal City

"So White's involvement escalated the situation?"

"It allowed him the justification he needed to send in the tactical team," Clemente replied, "I believe that if White hadn't taken over the operation, we could have avoided any casualties. White is a dangerous man."

"What is your take on this so called 'transgenic threat'?

"I don't believe they are a threat.  I've talked with their leader, Max or 452.  They had the upper hand over us, when we followed them into Terminal City.  They chose to let us go.  If they were the crazed killers that we've been told they are, I wouldn't be here talking to you.  I think you know what they are and why they were created.  Colonel, I'd like to see an amicable resolution to this problem."

The Colonel contemplated what Lt. Clemente said.  "Manticore was a US government research project centered around using recombinant DNA to genetically develop the perfect solder. The X5 series were the result of that project. They're stronger, faster, more agile than you and I.  My men will have to use night vision sights in order to see them in the dark, they have enhanced sight that allows them to not only see in the dark, but is telescopic as well.  One X5 is the equivalent of several of my men."

"Then I don't understand.  If you know they're better, why put your men at risk?"

"That's the paradox now isn't it?  If the military was interested in negotiating at this point, they wouldn't have sent me and my teams in here.  I will follow my orders, Lieutenant, but if what we are assessing is correct, then I don't think my men are in danger."  Colonel Foster sighed before continuing, "If it was just up to me, I would initiate communications and negotiate.  Unfortunately, that option is not there, yet."

At that moment Gamble came in and spoke in the Colonel's ear.  Clemente's hand reached into his pocket and caressed the CD.  He was torn between trusting this man to do what was right and worrying about what the consequences would be once this information reached his superiors.  The same ones who refused to allow Colonel Foster to negotiate.

Clemente stood up and walked to the window, looking out toward TC.  He just wasn't sure who he could trust or even what he needed to do yet.  Movement caught his eye.  Frowning, Clemente noted that White was leaving without giving them any word as to why or where he was going.  Stepping quickly out of the Command Post, he walked over to some of his men.

"Johnson, I want you to contact Cooper at headquarters, I want you to coordinate with him.  Follow White.  I want to know where he is and what he's up to.  Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Get started before he's out of sight."

Turning around, Clemente re-entered the Command Post just as Colonel Foster gave the order for their teams to advance.  Running a hand over his face, he couldn't stop the feeling of dread from coming up in his throat.

                                                                                    ~ ~ ~ 

Alec settled himself just inside the third story window of what must have been a residential building. It afforded him good sight of what was happening and allowed him a close enough proximity to move quickly.  Basically, he'd jump.  The streets below were littered with enough debris so as to cause the teams to file in through certain sections.  Leaving the last guy open to be taken down.  His hope was that they could remove up to half their team before they realized what was happening.  He and Seven would have to move quickly.  It would have been much easier if he had a complete team, but that was no longer an option.  So they would settle for what they could do and retreat.

He looked out toward the edge of Seattle and allowed his mind to go there for a moment.  Max should have dropped off Sketchy and OC by now and be nearing the edge of town.  He ran his fingers over his lips and closed his eyes for a moment.  He could still feel her lips as they crushed his own.  It had shocked him when she grabbed him like that.  He didn't think it would affect her one way or the other if he didn't make it back.  Deep inside he'd figured she would get over it fast and be glad.  But he was wrong, she did care, more than he had ever dreamed.  He smiled as he remembered the taste of her.  All he wanted in life was for her to be alive and…what?  Love him?  Accept him?  The smile left his face as he recalled his reply to her.  He swore he'd be there, but inside his heart he knew that it might not be.  

"I'll fight hard, Maxie," he whispered, knowing she couldn't hear him.  It made him feel better to say it out loud.  Now that he knew she cared, he'd try that much harder to get back to her.  Taking a deep breath he pulled himself out of this reverie and put 494 back in place.  He needed to be on the alert, not pining over Max.  Setting himself back a bit from the window he once again scanned the area with his eyes.  They were coming and he was ready.

                                                            ~ ~ ~

End of chapter 6


	7. Confrontations

**A/N:**  First I want to thank the ever wonderful and inspiring Petal for going over this mess and giving me encouragement to continue.  To Infie for helping me with some of the action scenes so they flowed better.

**AA/N:**  Below is a profile of some of the characters I created and a quickie (and I mean quickie) recap of what's happened so far. I haven't given these guys first names because….well because. : )

**Profile:**

****

 Detective Brooks – Clemente's man back at Police headquarters.  He reviewed the hoverdrone films of the hostage situation at Jam Pony and was the first to realize that White and his people were not what they seemed.

Colonel Foster – Head of the Delta Force Teams sent in to subdue the Transgenics.  There are 4 teams.  Colonel Foster would like to see a peaceful resolution and does not view the Transgenics as a threat.

Lieutenant John Gamble – Colonel Foster's Second in Command.  Also over the fourth Delta Force team. He's begun to develop a respect for a certain cutie transgenic who took out a shooter without killing him.

Quickie recap: The transgenics have all left TC in different directions via the sewer system and will rendezvous at a designated spot outside of Seattle Washington in the mountains.

Alec, Mole and 7 X-4s have stayed behind to keep the military busy while the rest, especially Max, reach safety.  The confrontations begin as three of the Delta Force teams have entered TC and White's tactical team is about to catch up to Max's unit.  Oooo…I'm skeered. 

Oh! Um…One more thing…TRUST ME! 

Chapter 7 

White had the Phalanx enter the sewer just ahead of where Max and her group were headed.  His man had tracked them to the edge of the City, where he figured they would emerge.  As badly as he wanted 452, he needed to keep abreast of what was happening at Terminal City.  Thula had been given specific instructions to keep 452 alive.  He didn't care about the rest.  Turning back toward Terminal City, he reminded himself that he had another abomination that needed taken care of.  If anything, 494 could be used as leverage against 452.  One way or the other he was going to get what he wanted.  

~ ~ ~

Logan stood off to the side of Max, watching as she plopped down next to the wall.  They'd stopped long enough to allow Gem to feed the baby.  He noted Dalton hovering close by, his gun drawn, eyes alert.  Biggs was on point guarding them all.  Logan smiled to himself as he noticed Joshua sitting not far from Max.  He seemed embarrassed when Gem began to feed.  He avoided watching, instead stared back the way they'd come.  He didn't miss the fact that Max too, kept glancing back in the direction of TC. 

Sighing heavily, he sat down next to Max.  "Hey, you okay?"

"Well that's a loaded question," Max kept her eyes away from his face, "I feel incredibly overwhelmed right now."

"That's understandable.  You didn't pick this life or the position you've been shoved into."

"I'm the one who chose to burn down Manticore.  I thought I was doing the right thing."

"Who's to say it was the wrong thing to do?  Sandeman made sure that you were going to be a part of all of this no matter what choices you made.  You didn't choose to be created.  You certainly didn't choose to be the leader, savior, or whatever it is he had in mind.  I have confidence you'll do the right thing."

Max smiled at that. "I'm not sure if you should put faith in that."  Her eyes once again looking back the way they came.

"He'll be okay, you know."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do.  Alec is like a bad penny that keeps turning back up."

Max turned back toward Logan, a frown on her face. "You know, not long ago I would have agreed with you and said worse."  She lowered her head, "I have said worse…He's not bad Logan.  I just refused to see who he is.  The kind of man he is inside.  He's not the self-centered, pain in the ass, greedy, always in trouble, bane of my existence, guy I thought he was.  Well maybe at first," she smiled.

"Alec had a definite 'Lookout for number one' attitude, but I have to admit that he's not shown that side of himself for a while now."

"Self-preservation."

"What?"

Max repeated herself, "The 'look out for number one' attitude.  It was self-preservation.  It kept him alive at Manticore.  I can only imagine what they did to him there.  Alec told me once that I didn't know what hard was.  That it got a whole lot worse after the escape.  You did what you had to do.  Then you tried to forget.  And when you couldn't forget, they had ways of making you not care. I knew what Manticore was capable of.  I just didn't want to accept responsibility for the repercussions.  He lived it and still I treated him like something less than dirt."

"You didn't know, Max."

"But I did know, Logan.  I denied it, even after he told me.  Now all I want to do is be able to take back what I did and said to him," Max sighed, "But now I can't and I may not get the chance to make it up to him."

Logan knew then what he'd been denying to himself.  That Max was in love with Alec.  He'd hoped that once they found the cure their relationship would return to what it was.  Wishful thinking on his part and that's all it ever would be.  He leaned forward putting his face in his hands.  As much as he wanted Max, he hated that she was this miserable. And no matter what he did, he knew there was only one thing that would make her happy, if Alec made it back to her.

"Logan," Max whispered, "I need to be honest with you,"

He sat up and looked at her intently, his stomach in knots.

Max turned to him, careful not to get too close, yet wanting him to know she still cared.

"That night you saw Alec at my apartment, he had been there all night, but not for the reason I let you believe.  He was there because he needed a place to lay low.  We'd just escaped from the Police Station.  He'd been arrested for Ben's murders.  I went to your man to have papers forged for him, proof he wasn't Ben and that he was out of the country at the time."

Max stood up and stepped away from Logan before she continued.  

"We were up all night…talking.  It was honestly the first time that I could look at Alec and not see Ben.  I told him things that night no one else knows.   I don't know how to describe it.  It just felt right, comfortable."

Turning to look at him, "He never once made fun of me or said anything sarcastic.  He was understanding and compassionate.  I saw him completely different after that night.  Everything changed.  I realized that he wasn't the reason for all my problems."

"So what is he to you now?"

Max stared at Logan for what seemed to him, an eternity. "All I know, is I wish now that what I let you believe was true.  I've been ignoring my feelings.  Logan, I'm sorry, I can't go back to what we had.  I have to go forward with what might be.  I just hope I get the chance."

Logan stood up and started to walk away.  He couldn't bring himself to look at her.  Pausing he looked over his shoulder at her.

"I'll always love you Max.  I can't help that, but I can accept whatever you do…in time."

Max started to walk toward him and stopped.  Her vision blurred and she looked away, her eyebrows in a frown.  

"What Max?  What is it?"

A determined look on her face, Max turned and moved forward quickly toward Gem, and the others.

"They're here, ahead of us.  We have to go."

~ ~ ~

From Alec's vantage point, he observed Delta Force coming in from three sides.  As hoped they were unable to move forward together.  Some were just a foot or two behind their teams.  Those were his targets.  Mole and his team were just below his position and began to heat things up.  Alec couldn't help but smile with pride at the confusion they were causing.  Mole's team of six was moving from position to position so fast that the Special Forces teams, he knew, believed there were many more.  It would be interesting to hear what they were saying once he acquired some of their equipment.  They only had three com links between them and Alec felt Mole's team needed all of them for him to maintain control.  But that would soon be changed, leaving them with plenty of equipment.

                                                                        ~ ~ ~

_"Three, you need to move your ass, you're getting behind."_

_"I'm on the move."_

_"Four, give him cover fire."_

Mole chanced a quick glance up to where he knew Alec was waiting.  Alec had moved forward slightly allowing him to see the smile that was on his face.  Mole nodded in acknowledgement, chewing on the cigar in his mouth. He couldn't help the smile that broke out on his face, then shook his head. Alec had handed him the cigar just before they parted.  A Cuban cigar.  Man it was good.  He had no idea how Alec had acquired it or what it had taken for him to get one, but he did.  He knew he couldn't have gotten it after the Jam Pony incident and it made Mole wonder about the man.  Had it been his intent to give it to him all the time.  Or, more than likely, trade it with him for something.  That didn't matter to Mole right now.  All he knew was that Alec had slapped him on the shoulder, shook his hand and left in a blur with no words.  Mole had looked down to his hand with a frown and found the cigar there.  Raising his gun, Mole took a few well placed shots and moved toward their goal.

                                                                        ~ ~ ~ 

"They've progressed fairly deep into Terminal City, Sir, right about here," Gamble reported, "Intel indicates that this is their headquarters. They've intensified their fight, Team two's leader believes they're protecting that position."

"What does that mean, Colonel?" Clemente inquired.

"They're clearing out of that area.  The soldiers are allowing them the time needed to retreat."

"But why retreat?  You said it yourself, that your men are really no match for the X-5's."

"I think they're retreating to avoid fatalities.  But at some point they're going to be left without a choice.  It's at that point I'm hoping to put them in a position to negotiate.  There's no way we can force them to be subdued, but if I can get them to surrender and cooperate then it'll better their chances."

"Their chances for what?  The political air so far is for them to be wiped out or put away.  People view them as some kind of monster or threat.  It's what they've been shown to be by the media.  What's the military going to do with them?"

"They're soldiers.  It's what they were created to be.  Their intention is to allow them to integrate themselves back into the military."

"Well that's all well and good for the X5s, but what about the others.  I was there Colonel.  The majority of people in that City were not X5's.  They have been living there for the better part of a year, yet we didn't really know about their existence until now.  It seems to me that all they want is to live their lives in peace.  What are you going to do with them?"

The Colonel didn't answer Clemente.  Instead he averted his eyes.

"Well," Clemente continued, "That tells me that you're either going to get rid of them or put them back in what? Cages?" Clemente paused in thought. "If they're the animals we've been made to believe they are, then why haven't they acted like them before now?  Why haven't I seen them wrecking havoc in my City?"

"Believe me, Lieutenant, it's not what I want and if I can get what I need from this mission, it'll go a long way to convincing my superiors to do something else.  My main concern is to accomplish that with as few fatalities as I can."

Clemente considered the Colonel's words.  Should he trust him with the information he and Brooks gathered.  No, he needed to wait a little longer to see if what the Colonel was telling him played out.  

"They're on the move again," Gamble announced.  The Colonel grabbed a com link and handed it to Clemente.

"I shouldn't be doing this, but you're just as involved as we are now.  You can listen, but that's all, understand?"

Clemente nodded, as he grabbed the com and was about to put it on when his phone rang.  

                                                                        ~ ~ ~ 

Cooper watched from a distance, as White's team entered the sewers and White left.  There had to be a reason for this.  Moving forward he made his way to the sewers with his team.  Bending down he listened as the tactical team moved.  

"They're headed in that direction.  Hamilton I want you and Thomas to enter here and follow them.  I'll take my men and move ahead of them.  The Lieutenant wanted us to keep tabs on them and figure out what they're up to.  Be careful not to make your presence known, but be ready to act.  I don't trust these guys as far as I can throw them."  

"No problem, sir," Hamilton replied.  

Cooper stood and headed back to their van.  Flipping open his phone he reported in to Clemente.

"Sir, White met up with his tactical team and entered the sewers at Port St. and Main. White did not enter with them.  It's my belief that they are following a group of Transgenics."

"Look, Cooper, keep abreast of what they're up to.  Understand it when I tell you they are not to be trusted.  If they engage the Transgenics, you are to stay out of it."

"Sir, I thought we were to apprehend all of them and…"

"Cooper, things are getting hot and heavy down here.  I need to know I can count on you to do what you're told."

"Sir, I can do what I'm told.  Your asking me to go into this blind and I need more then that.  Can you trust me to make certain judgment calls if necessary?"  There was a long pause, as Cooper waited for a reply.  He knew he was asking Clemente to give him more, but his gut told him he was going to need that leeway.

Clemente sighed, "Yes, I trust you.  Keep me informed."

"Yes sir."

"And Cooper?" Clemente paused.

"Sir."

"I'm not sure who the real enemy is here."

Flipping is phone closed, Cooper took to heart his superiors warning.  His own feelings of distrust confirmed by the Lieutenant.

                                                                                    ~ ~ ~

Max had moved her unit as quickly as possible in the opposite direction of the Familiars.  They would take their chances on the surface.  It was too cramped in the sewers for them to protect themselves the way they needed to.  Hopefully they could leave the City without incident.  Max wasn't foolish enough to believe that, but she could hope.

Max was on point this time and climbed cautiously up the ladder rungs.  She paused listening intently for any indication of someone being there.  Hearing nothing she slowly raised the manhole cover and moved up and out to get a better scan of the area.  They had chosen to surface in an alley not far from the edge of town.  She signaled Biggs to send the rest up.  Reaching down she grabbed Dalton's hand and gave him a lift up, then left Dalton to help the others as she moved to secure their position.  

Once Dalton helped Gem up, he took a position to the right, glancing around them for any danger.  He stepped away as Joshua with the baby, now strapped to his back, surfaced himself.   Max and Biggs had both agreed that the baby was safest with Joshua, due to his superior strength to the Familiars.  

Below their escape route, Biggs moved toward Logan as he began to ascend, readying himself to do the same when a sound reached his ears.  He blurred forward and physically shoved Logan up and out of the sewer.  Dropping to the ground he turned and fired in the direction of the sound.  The Familiars moved back out of the line of fire.  Without looking up, Biggs hollered.

"Go, I'll hold them off!"

Logan felt himself propelled upward and found himself literally hanging in the air flailing his arms.  Gem reached out and grabbed him away from the manhole before he fell back down.  While dragging him back, Dalton threw the cover on the hole.

"What are you doing?  Biggs is still down there!" Logan yelled in shock.

Gem helped him stand and kept her hand on his arm jerking him back as he tried to move back toward the manhole cover.

"He's doing his job. Come on."

"No, we have to get him out," Logan replied trying one more time to get to the cover.  This time it was Max who stopped him with her words.

"Let's go Logan," she commanded, "He'll catch up." 

"He can't stop them by himself."

"He knows that.  We need to move."

"But Max…"

"We don't have time for this Logan.  They're after me.  When they realize I've gone, they'll retreat and come to the surface."

Max watched his eyes intently as they changed from confusion and shock to understanding.  

"You have to trust that we know what we're doing Logan."  

He nodded, "I trust you.  Let's go."  Unable to help himself, Logan once more glanced at the manhole as they moved out.

                                                                        ~ ~ ~

Otto approached White as his car pulled up.  White's eyes were intent on Terminal City.

"What's happening?" White asked.

"The Colonel sent in three teams.  They're going to attempt to corner them on the south side.  I can hear gunfire.  So far no injuries or fatalities."

White turned to Otto at hearing those words. "Otto, I want you to assemble all our men and move to the south side of Terminal City.  I'll join you shortly."

"Sir, what's going on?"

"There not there anymore.  This is a diversion.  Something to keep the military busy while 452 escapes."

"Sir, intel indicates that they're still there."

"452 was spotted.  She's not in there.  I already have my tactical team tracking her."  Looking again back toward TC White continued, "I believe 494 is heading up this little diversion.  I intend to be there when he surfaces.  Neither one of them will get away this time.  Go on. Get out of here.  Take the men to the South side.  I'll report to the Colonel and then meet you there."

"He might want to send a team with us."

"Otto, I'll deal with the Colonel."

"Yes Sir."

White exited his car and went over to the Command Post.  The Colonel looked up at him as he entered.  Clemente as well, his eyes narrowing.  White noted this and smiled.  The man couldn't stand him and he couldn't be more pleased.  Soon that thorn in his side would be a thing of the past along with all other humans.

                                                                        ~ ~ ~

The Familiars tried several times to move forward.  Each time they came into the open, Biggs' covering fire repelled them.  They rushed him again, and this time his precise aim managed to wound three of them._  He could hear them begin to pull back further.  Leaning back against the wall, he listened carefully for anything that would signal their next move.  The sound that met his ears froze his heart; a click and snap. Biggs moved, but not fast enough to completely escape the grenade's explosion.  The force propelled him forward and up into the air.  He tucked and tried to roll as he hit the ground with a thump, hearing a sickening snap as his shoulder struck the ground.  He dropped the gun. Panting, he quickly tried to reach for his gun with his good hand, but snatched it back when shots smacked into the ground inches away.  Pushing himself to his feet, he ran in the opposite direction.  Several shots whizzed by his head, one nicking his shoulder as he ran several steps up and along the wall, finally pushing off and flipping in the air.  As his feet hit the ground he rolled, reaching for the gun strapped to his ankle and firing off four rounds rapidly.  He succeeded in wounding another familiar and pushing the others back.  He stood leaning back against the wall, panting.  He glanced at the manhole just ahead.  Taking a few more shots to cover his escape, he blurred up and out of the sewer. _

He found himself in an alley parallel to the one where Max and the others had exited.  Cradling his useless arm, he carefully made his way down the alley, entered a recessed doorway and waited_.  _ Nothing.  They hadn't followed him.  He was not the one they wanted.  He gingerly felt the bones of his shoulder.  Dislocated, not broken_.  He glanced around quickly before closing his eyes in concentration.  Counting to three, he took a deep breath just before slamming his shoulder into the doorjamb, forcing it to return to its socket with an audible pop_.  _A barely contained scream threatened to escape him as the pain brought him to his knees, his breathing labored.After a moment he was able to bring his breathing under control.  Standing once again, he removed his pack and retrieved some bandages.  He didn't have much time.  No doubt the explosion would bring Sector Police to the area, but it wouldn't do anyone any good to let himself get weak from blood loss.  Luckily, the bullet had just grazed his shoulder, and the bleeding was already minimal.  He needed to get back to his unit, to Max.  He'd given his word to Alec and he intended to live up to it. He finished wrapping the shoulder, and repacked his kit__.  He looked out to see if the alley was clear, then blurred to the edge of the street.  Putting his gun inside his jacket, Biggs stepped out onto the sidewalk, heading in the direction Max would have taken their friends. ___

                                                                        ~ ~ ~ 

Alec slipped out onto the ledge of the window and readied himself.  As a Special Ops soldier moved into position below him, he dropped silently behind him, landing with catlike grace.  A wide smile crossed his face as he tapped on the man's shoulder.  When he turned, Alec's hand blurred forward, delivering a wicked right cross and grabbing the front of his flack jacket.Holding him upright, Alec relieved him of his rifle, quickly slinging it over his shoulder.  He lifted him into a fireman's carry and headed silently back to a designated building, which had the explosives planted just beyond.  Upon arriving he noted that Seven was already relieving his captive of…his shoes.  __

"You think those are big enough?" Alec asked, laughing as he spoke.

"Looks about right.  I figure to get two or three pairs.  One of 'ems got to be close."

Seven had obvious cat DNA in his mix.  Judging from the size of his incisors when he smiled, it was a large cat.  It made him faster than some of the other X4s, which worked to their advantage.

Alec dropped his man unceremoniously to the ground beside his teammate. He grimaced slightly at the burning pain that radiated down his arm and side. Closing his eyes momentarily, he rotated his arm around in an effort to get rid of some of the stiffness that seemed to have settled in.  When he opened his eyes, Seven was watching him closely, obvious concern on his face.  Unable to accept that anyone would show they care, Alec did what he did best, shrugged it off and went on. 

"Take all you can carry and bring it to the others.  Keep one of the coms for yourself and change the frequency to match.  Let Mole know you're coming.  Then meet me back here, I'll have two or three more ready for you," Alec ordered.

"I could probably take one out on my journey back."

"If the opportunity allows, that's fine.  I don't want you taking unnecessary chances."

"Yes, Sir…You want me to take this shirt?"

He glanced over at the soldier on the ground by Seven, then back at his own acquisition.  Reaching down Alec confiscated a handgun from its holster, a knife and grabbed the soldier's com.  Heading back out, he glanced briefly over his shoulder at Seven.

"Nah, I want to fill Mole's shopping list myself.  Besides neither one of those guys is big enough."

Alec put the com link around his neck and slipped the ear piece in listening for any indication that they knew two men were down.  He needed to move quickly knowing that time was running out.  

~ ~ ~ 

White left Command Post after making some excuse to the Colonel about still having a responsibility to the City of Seattle.  His men would help patrol the area for any Transgenics that were still outside Terminal City. 

His inclination was to head back over to join his tactical team, but he fought that urge knowing that he needed to also be sure that her protector was dealt with as well.  All his years growing up, White had denied the words that his father spewed.  But he could no longer deny the coincidences with regard to 452.   He never believed the prophecies, but he knew his father well enough to know that he had used his knowledge to create the cure.  Along with that cure, he created a protector.   He wanted nothing and no one to interfere with his finding out where his son was.  So 494 had to be dealt with.  If he couldn't use him, then he had to die.

                                                                        ~ ~ ~

Getting out of Seattle had never really been a problem for anyone.  It was coming into the City that the Sector Police posed a problem.  National Guards were posted at each check point along with the police, but they had no idea how futile that effort was.  They had failed to realize just how gifted Transgenics were.  So Max had ushered her unit into the woods after clearing the barbed wire fence with little effort, far from the eyes of the National Guard.  Even Logan cleared the fence with ease due to transgenic blood enhancing his exoskeleton.  

Max knew they needed to get more distance from the City.  A confrontation with the Familiars was unavoidable.  She just hoped that Biggs had made it out intact and would be here soon.  The thought of leaving him behind had sickened her, but she knew it was necessary.  She hated everything that reminded her of Manticore, but knew that the training they'd received would make the difference.  Her mind wandered back to her last sight of Alec.  She remembered with an ache in her heart, at his transformation from the smart aleck she'd come to care so much about, to the soldier she'd left behind.  That's who she knew she needed to be now.  No thoughts of Alec.  No thoughts of Bigg's.  Her mind needed to be here with her Unit.

~ ~ ~

Alec moved forward with complete stealth.  Two soldiers, just ahead of him, would be separated from their team for approximately 10 seconds once they reached the edge of the street.  He needed to move on both of them at the same time, if he was going to be successful and not alert the others.  The chance to move came and he blurred forward.  Grabbing the one on the left by the collar, Alec swung him around and disoriented him for the split second he needed to grab the other one.  Pulling hard, he jerked the second man back and slammed him into the first.  Alec winced at the sound of a bone crunching.  The first man was unconscious, so Alec let go and he dropped to the ground.  The second clutched his arm and began to groan.  Jerking him back against his chest, Alec retrieved the soldier's pistol and held it under the man's jaw.  

"Shhh…no noise," his voice was cold.

He watched as the soldier bit his lip in an effort to stifle the pain.  

"Don't move."

Letting go of the man's collar, Alec grabbed the com link from around his neck, relieved him of his rifle, then nudged him forward.  He needed to move fast.  It would be wishful thinking on his part for the Team not to notice that their men didn't come around the corner.   Sure enough, as the thought came to his mind, Alec could hear the Team Leader trying to get an acknowledgement from his men.  Alec never took his eyes off the soldier in front of him as he reached down in a blur, removed the unconscious man's rifle, popped the clip and flung the rifle in his captive's direction.  Catching the gun automatically, the soldier's eyes widened in disbelief.  Alec couldn't help the cocky smile that broke his lips.  

"We're going that way, now," his smile grew menacing.  

"What about my teammate?"

"No questions. Move…Now."  

Once the soldier started moving, Alec reached down, snatching the unconscious man by the front of his flack jacket and pulling him to a standing position.  Crouching, he let the man fall over his shoulder and stood up, suppressing his own groan at the as pain radiated down the left side of his body.  The soldier ahead had turned slightly and was watching him intently.  

"Go," Alec rasped.  Gaining control of his breathing he followed.

~ ~ ~  

Max couldn't believe that uberbitch would make the same mistake again.  Either she was just that stupid or over confident.  Max opted for stupid as she watched them approach their position.  Max and her unit would have the element of surprise once again. 

From what she could see, Bigg's was successful in stopping some of Thula's team.  Even so, there were seven of them and they were one man short.  She glanced over at Gem signaling her to be ready and while prepared to fight, knew that she had little time to recuperate from giving birth.  Dalton, too young to go one on one with White's people, but together with Gem, just might do it.  Alec had been right to team them together, he knew Gem would need that added support, if not protection. Turning her head she signaled Logan to be prepared.  He stood, gun ready, knowing from past experience to shoot for the extremities.  She knew he would not waste his precious supply of bullets again.  Lastly was Joshua hiding, as best as the big fella could, behind some shrubs.  Max knew Joshua's strength would probably be the deciding factor, but Max wanted him to worry more about keeping the baby safe, then any of them.  

They were here.  

Max and her unit moved to meet their enemy head on, using the forest for cover.  Max stepped out from behind a tree and came face to face with Thula.  Her right leg came up and out in a perfect roundhouse kick, knocking the other woman to the ground.  As she tried to get up, Max grabbed the front of her flack jacket. 

"Hi Bitch! Ready for another ass kicking?"

With a grunt of effort, Max swung Thula off the ground and threw her into the tree behind her.  Max was angry.  Angrier then she had ever been before.  Because of this bitch and her people, Max was in danger of losing everything that she loved. She'd already lost her home and had to leave behind her friends.  And Alec, she didn't even want to begin to think about what it felt like to leave him behind.  Not knowing if he would return to her. Not being able to tell him how she felt. So she expressed her rage with every kick and punch she delivered.  The bitch barely had time to react before she found herself sprawled on the ground again. Max punched her in the face and heard an audible crack of bone as Thula's nose broke. She waited patiently as the bitch brought herself to a standing position and took a fighting stance.  With a feral smile on her lips, Max backhanded her in the face, sending a splatter of blood flying from her gushing nose, then spun and followed through with a kick to the chest that sent Thula flying once again.  For the first time since they'd fought, Max saw uncertainly in the woman's face.  If that's what you called her.  The overconfidence that had been there at Jam Pony was now gone.  Oh, Thula got a few good ones in here and there, but in the end she could do nothing to stop the force that was 452.  

                                                                        ~ ~ ~

Alec dropped his burden with a grunt.  His attention never left the other man.

"Drop the rifle, sit and don't move," Alec pointed to a spot about 5 feet from the other soldiers.  Grabbing his com link he changed the frequency and contacted Mole.

"Two this is One."

"_Well, well, it's about time.  Having fun?"_

"Oh yeah, life is good. Report." 

_"We're four blocks from our goal. No fatalities.  All accounted for.  Oh and Three says, thanks for the boots."_

"It wasn't me.  Seven was already stripping his man of boots when I walked in."

"_Yeah, but it was your guy's boots that fit."_

Alec shook his head and laughed.  

_"In case you weren't aware, you've been found out.  The teams are scrambling a bit and they've intensified their efforts.  We're going to need your cover soon, One." _

"I'm aware.  Has Seven headed back?"

"_Yeah, I ordered him to head straight back, since things were heating up."_

"Good, I'll be home soon, honey."

"_Sorry piece of…"_

Alec deactivated his com before Mole could finish his sentence.  Pulling his chain was almost as much fun as pulling Max's.  

The Special Ops soldier watched and listened intently.  If and when the opportunity to escape arose…just maybe he could return with some good intel.  It was obvious that what they had gathered and reality were two different things.  He shook his head at what he heard. 

"Freak," he said under his breath.  

Unexpectedly he found his air cut off, a vise around his throat.  Trying to remove the hand proved futile.  He knew the transgenic was hurt, so he kicked out.  He made contact and heard a grunt, but instead of a sudden release of pressure on his neck, he now found himself raised up in the air, legs dangling. 

"You bet your ass I am.  Don't forget it while your sitting here thinking about escape."  

He hit the floor in a heap, gasping for air and clutching at his broken arm.  Gathering his resolve, he pushed himself into a sitting position looking up into the face of the Fre…Transgenic.  For the first time since being a part of Delta Force, he felt fear.   Cold calculating eyes stared back at him.  No remorse.  No compassion.  There was nothing in their depths.  Yet this…soldier had expressed cockiness only a moment ago.   He almost sounded human.  

Another sound penetrated his consciousness and he froze. Something was behind him emitting a deep ongoing growl.  The sensation of hot breath against the back of his neck caused the small hairs to stand on end.  He refused to accept what his mind conveyed.  Common sense told him to remain still, but the desire to know was overwhelming, forcing his head to slowly turn.  His breath hitched at the sight of…he wasn't sure what it was.  He only knew that no amount of training had prepared him for this. It moved closer and his body betrayed him as it began to tremble.  Next to it was the body of another Special Forces soldier, unconscious with blood flowing from his nose and mouth.  Swallowing hard he realized for the first time in his life what it was to be the prey.

"Seven," Alec's voice commanded.  

Seven moved in slightly and sniffed. "I'm hungry."  The man flinched, squeezing his eyes shut. 

"Seven, here.  Now."

Seven hesitated, then remaining low to the ground, moved on all fours to Alec's side.  His eyes never left the man, as he settled and leaned in slightly against Alec's leg.

Without thought, Alec reached down and stroked Seven's head as he spoke, "You know, he's always hungry.  I can't seem to feed him enough.  I can barely control him.  It's really getting to be a problem."

Seven let out what could only be described as a half growling…snort.  Alec leaned down.  "Have you ever seen a man's eyes bug out that far before.  I didn't think it was physically possible."  

"I'm still hungry."

"Oh wait…I think I have a snickers in my pack."

"I love snickers."

"Here you go buddy."

"Thanks."  Ignoring the man now, Seven stood upright and peeled the wrapper back.  Popping the candy in his mouth he walked over to the second man Alec had obviously dumped and began relieving him of his gear.

"Strip off his whole outfit.  I'm changing out of this piece of crap uniform.  It stinks of White's people," Alec ordered.

"Yes sir."

Alec turned his attention back to the soldier at hand and noted, with pleasure, how their words and actions had affected him.  With an unexpected sense of relief, the man had fallen on his back, eyes closed, clutching the front of his jacket.  Alec could hear the rapid beat of his heart. 

 "You have a name?"

"Peterson," he rasped, "Corporal Frank…"

"I don't need rank or serial number."

Looking him over a bit, Alec decided it would work. 

 "Yeah, I think yours is about right.  Take off your jacket and your T-shirt."

"My…my T-shirt?" He asked incredulously.

"You heard me Peterson. Take it off."

With that Corporal Peterson sat up slowly.  Groaning he began to remove his gear hindered somewhat by his broken arm.  He chanced a quick glance at the Cat thing that was stripping his teammate.  It seemed to realize this and slowly turned it's head.  Peterson swallowed hard at the site of the macabre grin and the low growl that emanated from it.  Averting his eyes, he continued in his painful task.

Alec turned away, hiding the grimace that crossed his face.  Clutching his side he walked to an old bench and plopped down.  He'd taken a pretty good hit and could feel the warm sticky substance spread.    Leaning his head back against the wall, he closed his eyes in concentration.  Exhaustion was trying to creep its way in and he needed to push it back.  He took in a deep breath, expelling it slowly.  As control returned he opened his eyes, righting himself.  Narrowing his eyes, he watched Peterson awkwardly remove his T-shirt.  Alec sighed, his hand rose once again activating his com link and changed frequencies.  It was time to talk.                  

                                                            ~ ~ ~

It had taken a full clip of ammunition to stop the Familiar coming at him. So much for conserving ammunition.  Stepping from around the tree, Logan moved forward to make sure he stayed down.  Instead he found himself being hurled unceremoniously through the air.  He'd been flanked by another one of White's team.  '_Stupid_' was the word that entered his mind, as air was forced from his lungs on impact.  His vision clouded momentarily, but when it cleared what he saw made him cringe.  Logan tried desperately to get up before the Familiar reached him.  If he could stand up, he could use his legs for defense.  No such luck, as Logan once again went airborne.  He felt some ribs give from the shock of hitting the very tree he'd hidden behind.  This time he scrambled faster to a standing position, but not fast enough before he found himself on the ground being pounded.  You know how they say your life flashes before your eyes when death is eminent?  It's a lie.  Fate, he decided, could be a real bitch sometimes. Darkness began to invade the edges of his vision and Logan was convinced this was it, when the force of the blows suddenly stopped.   Gone too, was the Familiar that was…well killing him.  Instead, as his vision began to return to normal, he was able to focus on the face of…

"Biggs?"

"Surprise! I'm back."

"Thank God," Logan said with a releasing breath.

Pulling Logan to a standing position, Biggs held both his arms until he seemed steady.  

"Are you alright, Loggie?"

"Yeah, I'll make it.  Just ah…leave me here leaning against the tree a minute."

"Fine by me.  Oh, and just for the record, he was so kicking your ass."  

Logan stared at him with a dazed expression.  "I deserved that."

"Yes, you did."  

With that Biggs turned away from Logan just in time to block a blow meant for his head.    He'd listened to Logan tell his story about saving Alec one too many times, and while Alec seemed willing to let it roll off him, Biggs would not.  This kind of revenge couldn't have been sweeter as he pummeled the Familiar in front of him.  Oh and he'd be sure to tell everyone how he saved Logan from certain death.  Smiling Biggs blocked a futile effort by the Familiar to grab him.  Using the momentum, Biggs flipped the guy around, grabbing his head and neck.  With a quick twist he ended the fight permanently.

~ ~ ~

Cooper and his men moved up carefully.  The report he'd received from his men in the sewers, caused him to proceed with more caution and take a position just south of the fray. They were located approximately 2 miles from the road, deep in the woods.  He'd issued an order to his men to hold their fire. 

Clemente's words that White's people were not to be trusted, circled his mind as he watched the events unfold before him.  The NSA had the same orders as the Sector Police, to apprehend, not kill, any transgenics.   Yet from what he could see, they'd obviously ignored their orders. More disturbing was the fact that some of White's team had been wounded.  Oh it wasn't the getting wounded that disturbed him, it was the fact that they seemed to be oblivious to it.  So instead of moving in on the situation, he watched to see how it would play out.   

                                                                        ~ ~ ~

Gem and Dalton fought together as one.  Even so, they were losing ground.  Blocking more than hitting, Gem found herself once again sprawled on the ground.  She was tiring.  The Familiar was relentless in his attack.  Before she could respond, the giant's hands were around her neck. She could see Dalton trying desperately to free her.  Thoughts of never having given her baby a name filled her with regret, as oblivion seemed to descend.  

During their fight, Dalton had put himself in between them in an effort to protect her several times, only to be shoved aside like a rag doll.    Now he found himself on the Phalanx's back, arm around his neck squeezing tight, hoping to cut off his air and knock him out.   Tears fell from his eyes as he realized that he could not stop what was happening.  The look on Gem's face as her eyes caught his tore at his very being.  At that moment in time he made a decision.  It meant going against orders, but he had no choice.   Max had ordered him not to use his gun.  It was important that no transgenic kill anyone, but Alec had told him to protect Gem.  Watch her back.  Without hesitation he pulled his gun and fired.  

With the pressure around her neck suddenly gone, Gem gasped several times drawing in the precious air her body desperately graved.  She felt Dalton's hands as they touched her face and moved to gently rub her neck.  Her senses began to clear and she opened her eyes to the worried face of her brother.  Reaching up she pulled him down to her, the need to feel him close dictating her actions. 

Joshua had dispatched two of White's people with little effort.  Quickly moved to where Dalton and Gem were and helped her to a sitting position.

"Gem okay?"

"Yes," Gem replied.  Running her hand through Dalton's hair, she conveyed her thanks, "I'm more than okay."   

"No more fighting.  All done now."  

"We did it?" Dalton asked, as he looked at the scene around them.   At hearing Max, Biggs and Logan holler, Dalton stood facing them and did the same.

"Clear!" 

They'd won.  They'd defeated White's people again.   Dalton stood at attention, though, keeping his eyes forward as Max walked up to him.  He knew he'd disobeyed an order and was ready to take whatever punishment she gave him.  It didn't matter.   Should the same situation arise, the outcome would be the same…but the reprimand didn't come.   Instead he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder.

"At ease, soldier."

Dalton visibly relaxed and looked at his leader.  Frowning in confusion at the big smile on her face.

"You did good, Dalton."  

"Thank you, sir."  Max raised her eyebrows and tilted her head slightly, waiting.

"Um…I mean, Max," Dalton corrected.

"Why don't you help Biggs tie up…"

"FREEZE! Everybody stand fast!"

                                                                                    ~ ~ ~

"_Colonel, I know your listening.  We_ _need to talk."_

Foster looked around from Gamble to Clemente.   Nodding his head toward the computer, Gamble sat down in front of it.

"State your designation."

"_X5-494."_

Gamble quickly imput the designation number and pulled up the record of X5-494.  Foster leaned over his shoulder and quickly scanned the information.  

"_Colonel, I don't have time for you to read every detail of my life.  If you're interested in finding your men alive, I suggest you respond quickly."_

Foster stood straight up.   His quick scan of the information told him what he needed to know.  He was dealing with one of the best of the X5 series.   One whose training went beyond that of any soldier on his teams. He was fully capable of carrying out any threat with no remorse.  However, Foster decided to take a chance.

"I think my men are pretty safe, 494."

"_Keep in mind Colonel that while all my kills were under orders, I will do whatever's necessary to protect my own."_

"Understood."

"_You need to call off your boys."_

"I can't do that.  I have my orders."

"_I know all about your orders to apprehend and hold all Transgenics in Terminal City."_

"If you surrender, I can guarantee your safety."

"_You don't have the power to protect us and I'm quite certain that is not what your superiors have on their agenda."_

"Our concern is to reach a peaceful solution.  Return you to a safe environment."

"_To the safety of Manticore"?_

"Possibly."

"_Yeah, that was real safe.  I remember how safe I was in isolation.  Nothing could harm me once I was there.  Gave me plenty of time to heal after re-indoctrination.  Let's see why was I put there?  Oh yeah, I disobeyed orders and refused to kill innocent people.  No thanks. I'm safer right here, right now."_

Foster looked to Gamble who had continued to read the reports on 494.  The look of shame in his eyes confirmed what 494 had said.   Foster sighed as he scrubbed a hand across his face.   494 was right, he had no leg to stand on.  No real way to protect them, at least not yet.  

_Colonel, I don't have time for this right now.  You have your orders and I'll respect that.  But understand that the lives of your men depend on what you do next.  We are not the enemy.  The real enemy is out there with you and you need to focus on that_

"Who do you say is my enemy, 494?"

"_Ask Special Agent White, Sir."_

"White is a Federal agent working in conjunction with the military.   I need more than you just telling me he's the enemy."

"_You'll have to figure it out for yourself.  Just remember it wasn't us who drew first blood."_

"If you and your people surrender, then we can prevent any further bloodshed."

There was no answer.

"494 reply."

Still no answer.  He was gone.  With a deep sigh he returned to look at 494's record and see if there was something there he could use to bring about a peaceful solution.  

"Sir, permission to speak freely," Gamble inquired.

"Permission granted."

"I think he's right, sir.  I don't trust White, he's done his best to escalate this situation and hinder our progress."

"Without proof I can't change anything. Order the teams to proceed."

"Yes Sir."

"If you know something's wrong, why would you continue?" Clemente questioned.  He'd remained silent long enough and couldn't believe the Colonel would just ignore everything and not stop his men.  

"It's not that simple, Lieutenant.  To countermand my orders I need more than the word of a transgenic who's viewed as a monster by the community.  I have no choice, but to move forward with my orders."

Clemente's hand once again went to his pocket.  He looked down and away from the Colonel as he caressed the disc.  He was torn between trusting the Colonel and believing the threat from the Transgenics was real.  Sitting down he leaned against the table and slowly removed his hand from his pocket.  Cooper had yet to report in to him and until he did, what he knew would remain with him and Brooks.  He listened as Gamble issued the Colonel's orders.

                                                                                    ~ ~ ~

Alec quickly moved from roof to roof back toward Mole's position.  The next leg of their plan involved him protecting his men's retreat into the sewers.  At the same time he would set off the strategically placed charges, forcing Delta Force to move in the direction he wanted.  The explosions would also serve as a distraction to allow Seven to make it back through the line of soldiers.    Alec moved out onto a fire escape just above a group of five soldiers.  They were doing a sweep back in the direction they'd come in an effort to find their missing teammates.   

"Seven are you ready?"

"_I'm ready, sir."_

_"_Here we go." 

Taking careful aim Alec fired four rounds to gain their attention.  It worked.  Alec moved quickly back up the fire escape as several shots pinged around him.  As he jumped over and onto the roof he set off the first two charges.  The explosives were enough to cause confusion and the soldiers to scatter in an effort to take cover.  Alec ran the length of the roof never stopping.  Reaching the edge he dove across an alley to the next building, arms stretched out above his head, hands fisted.  He tucked his head just before crashing through a window.  Never stopping his momentum, he landed with a grunt and rolled to a standing position.  Shards of glass pricked his face and hands, but he ignored it and continued to the other end of the building.  A quick glance out a window told him Seven was beyond the teams and safe.  Pain in his arm and side increased with his movements.  He felt hot and could feel the rivulets of sweat run down his face.  He was probably running a fever.  There had been no time to properly treat his wounds and infection had probably to set in.  Transgenic blood or not, without rest his body could not heal the way it needed to and the danger of succumbing was very real.  Using his sleeve he wiped the salty substance from his eyes and slipped out the window.

"Two, I'm going high again.  I should be in position in one minute."

"_Copy that, One…You heard the man boys.  It's time to run."_

Alec listened to all the acknowledgements as he climbed up the side of the building using a drainpipe.  His objective was a turret at the southeast corner of the building that afforded him a good view of the main street and alley.  As he reached the roof he set off the last of the charges planted earlier that evening.

The turret was small, but was the only area high up that also gave him some cover as he looked over the scene below.   Delta Force would be unable to enter the area without him seeing it.   The firefight between Mole and Delta Force intensified as Alec readied himself and took aim.   Firing rapidly he pushed the soldiers away from the alley.  Alec could hear Mole as he issued orders for the first of the X-4s to enter the sewer system.   Suddenly a shot whizzed by his head smacking into the stone window.  Ducking back against the wall Alec waited 5 seconds and then whipped his head around to get a look at the building across the street.  Another shot narrowly missed him.

"Two they've moved someone high up.  I need you to spot him for me."

"C_rap, I still have three guys out there"  _

"Okay we'll do this fast.  I'm going to move…now!"  Alec blurred up and out of the turret running along the edge of the roof.  Several shots were fired hitting the turret, but too late to catch him.  

_"Got him."_

Turning, Alec zig zagged back toward his original position.  The shooter was getting smarter as a few well placed shots smacked into the entry of the turret.  Dust and stone showered down on Alec as he dove and rolled, smacking his back against the wall with a grunt.  With his breath coming in deep pulls, Alec felt a sense of euphoria.  The adrenalin doing it's job.  

"Report his position." 

"_He's directly across the street from you to the east approximately 50 ft.  Top floor corner window, he's leaning against the right side."_

Alec's head lowered and his eyes narrowed in concentration. His position was compromised and he would have to take the shooter out in one shot.  So he pictured in his mind what he had seen earlier across the street.  It was a five-story business building of some sort.  The windows were unusually narrow.  They would not afford much room for error.   Closing his eyes he put the shooter in the window picturing him leaning against the jam, rifle ready.   A smile spread across his face as he opened his eyes, which narrowed in anticipation of what he would do next.  He had him.  Alec's grip on his rifle increased, his finger already squeezing the trigger as he turned and fired.

                                                                                    ~ ~ ~

"Keep your hands in sight, turn around slowly."

Max turned slowly her hands spread wide.  She stared unflinchingly at the man behind the voice.   Max took a slow step forward.

"By the way, when I said 'freeze,' I meant it."

Max stopped.  

"Look," Max continued, "We don't want any trouble.  We're not a danger to you."

"I'll be the judge of that."  

Max quickly glanced around at the approaching men and their positions.   Assessing the situation, she knew they could take them easily, but didn't want it to come to that and just maybe it wouldn't.

"I want the rest of you to lower your weapons and you," speaking directly to Max, "I want you to tell me what they are?" Indicating White's tactical team. 

Max nodded to Biggs and Dalton to lower their weapons and then turned back to face the officer.

"My name's Max."

"Cooper, Sgt. James Cooper.  Are they Transgenics like you?"

"No, they're not.  They're called Familiars.  They're part of a cult and the product of breeding through survival of the featest.  They're strong and feel no pain and they want all those they consider weak wiped off the face of the earth.  They consider you weak and us as an abomination."

Cooper shook his head unbelievingly and let out a short clipped laugh, "I want to say that's crazy, but after what I saw…I can't." Taking what he considered the long shot, Cooper lowered his weapon.

"Lieutenant Clemente doesn't believe you're the enemy," he continued,  "Tell me why I should agree with him?"

"Because…" Max blurred forward grabbing his gun and turning it on him.  His men barely had time to react before Biggs and Gem subdued them.  

Max pierced Cooper with her dark eyes, moving the gun closer to his head.  She watched as he visibly swallowed and sweat broke out on his forehead.  Then just as suddenly as she had taken over, she let the gun slip around on her hand, offering it back.

"…I could kill you if I chose to.  I choose not to."  

Cooper hesitated before slowly reaching up to take back possession of the gun and watched incredulously as the other two Transgenics returned his men's guns.  Cooper holstered his and signaled his men to keep theirs down.

"I think we have a lot to talk about before I report back to my Lieutenant."

Max smiled and stepped forward with her hand outstretched.  

                                                                        ~ ~ ~

Alec pulled back into the safety of the turret after taking out the shooter.  He'd been careful not to kill the man, but it would be a while before he could fire a gun, let alone use a rifle.  Shots from below began to smack into the turret window from below.   Moving swiftly to a parallel window, Alec took aim and peppered the area with rapid fire again pushing the Delta Forces back.  

"Two, how are we doing?" Silence lingered. A feeling of dread entered his heart. "Mole?" 

_"We have one man down…he didn't make it."_

 "Who?"  Alec could hear the sigh that escaped Mole's lips.

_"Alec, just get your ass down here.  We'll cover you."_

"Mole? Who?" he demanded more forcefully, still Mole's hesitation was evident.

"Three…just before he uh…he said to say thanks again for…for the boots.  Shit Alec, get down here already."

Like a slow leak, all the adrenalin seemed to try and seep out of him, the sense of loss overwhelming. Slumping against the wall of the turret, his body gave the impression of closing in on itself.  He knew the odds of all of them making it out alive were slim, but …they'd been so close.  

Anger seeped in to replace the loss of adrenalin and he slowly rose to a standing position.  Looking down on the men that made up Delta Force, he raised his rifle once again.  It was time to take some out of the action permanently.   

_"Alec, are you on the move? Alec?"_

His face was devoid of all emotion and his eyes darkened as he sited down the barrel of his rifle.

_"Alec the last of the X4's have entered the sewer.  I need you down here now!"_

A feral smile crossed his face as he watched the target make what he knew would be a futile attempt to move forward.  He could feel the air move as several shots winged their way by his head.  

_"Damnit Alec.  Seven get back up here. One needs cover fire."_

A bullet tugged at his arm as it burned a path across his uniform.   He slowly began to squeeze the trigger. 

_"Alec we're not finished.  We have to complete our mission."_

 His vision blurred as the sting of sweat rolled its way into his eyes and his hand trembled.  Blinking back the sweat he carefully released the pressure on the trigger.  Alec turned abruptly, flinging the rifle away from him.   His breath hitched as he looked intensely down at it.  'God…what had he almost done.' Closing his eyes he scrubbed a shaky hand through his hair.  Mole was right, they had a mission to complete.  He spoke again with a voice full of determination.  

"I'm on my way."

Reaching down, Alec grabbed up the rifle moved forward when the firing suddenly intensified.  Bullets struck the walls all around him at an alarming rate.  

"Where's my cover fire?"

_"You got it. Move.  Now!"_

Alec blurred up and out of the turret to the access door of the roof.  Throwing it open he headed down the stairs and made it two flights when the sound of soldiers entering his building reached his ears.  A fast decision had him jumping over the banister and dropping one more flight, instead of going back the way he came.  It was a decision that was almost his undoing.  Automatic gunfire smacked it's way along the wall just behind him.  He grabbed the metal door jam using it to pull into a fast right turn. He blurred toward a window just in front of him.  It meant falling four floors into the middle of the fray, but he had no choice.  Precious time had been lost because of his unwillingness to control his emotions and the Special Ops soldiers were closing in on him.  The sound of soldiers coming through the door reached his ears and he stepped up his speed.  

"Mole! I'm coming through the fourth story window.  Crap, doesn't anybody open a window around here?"

This time Alec didn't dive for the window, instead he jumped sideways using his shoulder to crash through the glass protecting his face and head when something hit him hard in the hip twisting his body to an awkward position as he fell. 

Mole and Seven had moved up closer to the action in their effort to keep Delta Force off Alec's ass.  Two more X4s had made they're way back and joined them in covering Alec's escape.  Mole looked up at the sound of breaking glass and flinched involuntarily when he saw Alec's body jerk and twist around breaking his momentum.  He was going to fall very badly, but before he could react, Seven jumped forward into the open.  Mole intensified his efforts to keep Delta Force back.  

Seven scrambled up a debris pile as Alec twisted around in time to fall to his feet, sort of.  It was anything but graceful as pain lanced downed his leg and he collapsed.  The air rushed from his lungs as he hit the debris. He would have cried out in pain, except the lack of ability to breath hampered him.  

Seven grabbed him by the collar, jerking him up and back against his chest.  Reaching around Alec's body he deliberately fell back into a roll off the pile.  They came to an abrupt stop and Seven could feel Alec struggle beneath him, but there was no time to assess his injuries.  Seven pulled him to a standing position and moved them both toward Mole and the others.  He could hear Alec strain to get his breath and moved quicker toward their goal.  The fire intensified around them and Seven felt the burn of a bullet as it propelled him forward pushing them both to the ground.

Alec pulled air in short gasps trying desperately to keep from passing out.  They were so close when unexpectedly the ground came up to meet him.  Raising himself to his hands and knees, he could see Mole and the others moving toward them and firing rapidly at the same time.  Pooling what strength he had left, he twisted a fist in Sevens shirt and began crawling toward them dragging Seven alongside him.

"Ta…take him," Alec managed to say.  Standing on shaky legs Alec followed with Mole's support to cover.  He felt Mole lower him gently to the ground and leaned him against the cover wall.  They were now just outside the entrance to the sewer. 

"You okay?"

"Yeah…ju…just need…to…ca…catch my…breath," came Alec's winded reply, "Seven?"

"Don't know.  I'll check on him.  Here," Mole dropped a pack down by Alec and moved to check on Seven.

"K"

Alec closed his eyes and concentrated on getting his breathing under control.  Taking in a deep breath, the ache he felt on his right side told him some bruised ribs didn't appreciate it.  He could feel the warm wetness that was creeping down his leg, so opening his eyes he surveyed the damage caused by the bullet.  The blood was flowing freely now, so Alec removed a pressure bandage from the pack.   Pressing down hard, he allowed himself the luxury of moaning out loud, which aggravated his ribs, which in turn caused him to lean to the left, which brought to life pain on that side of his body.  'Crap,' he thought to himself, 'I'm becoming a walking wound.' A short laugh escaped his mouth at the absurdity of this, which his ribs further protested.  

"Ow."  

"You gonna make it?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine…how's Seven?"

Mole turned his head away from Alec as he spoke, "Not good, but he's alive.  Took a bullet in the back, high up.  If they get him out of here fast he should have a shot at making it."

"Then let's do it."

Mole reached his hand out and helped Alec up, who leaned heavily on him for a moment, his head against Mole's shoulder.  Mole could feel it as Alec brought his body under control as the tenseness dissipated.

"You ready?" Asked Mole.

Dark dangerous eyes looked up and met his, "I'm always ready."

Stuffing a now half used cigar in his mouth Mole smiled, "Let's go."

Alec and Mole took over the protective positions held by the X4s and ordered them into the sewers and to what they hoped would be their freedom. 

~ ~ ~

One of the Phalanx who had regained consciousness, listened carefully to all that was being said between the Sector Police and 452.  Knowing she needed to do something to prevent their premature exposure, she slowly pulled a small caliber gun from her ankle holster. Raising it, she took aim at Cooper, knowing that if the humans died the transgenics would be blamed.  Cooper's back was to her talking with Max, so he was unaware.  If she moved fast enough, she could get him and his men before anyone knew what happened.

Dalton glanced up from helping Gem with the baby, when he saw the Phalanx raise her gun. Several things happened at once.  In a blur of movement he pulled his own gun from his waistband, flipped out in front and fired at the same time.  At the sound of gunfire, Max grabbed Cooper and threw him to the ground.  Joshua moved to shield Gem and the baby with his body. Bigg's joined Dalton and fired on the Phalanx who fell back dead from the bullets that pierced her head.   Cooper wide eyed and in shock stared at the scene before him in disbelief, when a sudden heart-wrenching scream filled the air.

"Aaaah! No, no, no…" Gem shoved Joshua aside, fell to the ground and pulled Dalton into her arms.  Her hands moved in a frantic effort to stem the flow of blood coming from his chest.  "No, no, no…" she repeated as tears fell unbidden from her eyes.  

Cooper stood slowly and watched as Biggs and Max both quickly moved toward the woman and the boy.  He started at his own thoughts, a woman and a boy?  It was the first time he had thought of the transgenics in that way.  But as he looked at the anguish in her face and heard her cries of despair, he knew then that all he'd been told about them was wrong.  They weren't unfeeling monsters.  They loved, they cared and they felt pain of the worst kind.  Cooper stepped closer.  'God, he looks so small.' 

"Gem, move your hand, I need to take a look," Biggs asked with a gentle voice.  Gem just continued to rock back and forth, clutching Dalton to her, speaking softly to him.

"Gem…Gem…come on honey."

His voice finally penetrated her mind and she stopped rocking, letting Dalton roll away from her a bit. She watched her mind in a daze, as he checked his pulse, then looked at the wound.  Most of all she watched his face for any sign of hope.  It was a bad wound, high on the right side of his chest.  She could tell from his breathing that it had damaged his lung.  She knew…she knew, but she still looked into his face for a sign. There was none.  There was no hope.  Her lips quivered, her vision blurred as she pulled him close to her bosom once again and resumed rocking.

Biggs stood abruptly and stepped away.  His head down, his hands clenched in tight fists.  Max followed.

"What are you doing?  He needs attention." 

"We can't save him Max."

"No! I won't accept that.  We have to try."

Biggs turned to her.  "He needs more than just a bandage, Max.  There's damage to his lung.  I could hear it. We're not equipped to save him."

"No, he can't die.  No…"

"Take him back," Joshua's voice interrupted, "Take him back.  To hospital.  To Shankar.  She can save him."

"We can't.  It's too dangerous.  They know us now."

"Take him back Max."  

Max, Joshua and Biggs began to discuss the possibility.  If they could get him to Shankar, maybe, just maybe he'd live.   Cooper watched.  He wasn't sure what to do.  He needed to report in to Lt. Clemente.  Let him know what was happening, but he couldn't just let them go.  Could he?  And the boy, what would happen to him?  Even he could see the boy was going to die.  Cooper was startled from his thoughts.

"Please?"

No one had seen when Gem stood up, holding her brother.  Or when she walked up to Cooper. Her eyes implored him, begged him. Her voice too strangled to speak more than one word.

"Please?" 

No one spoke.  All eyes turned to him…waiting.  His mind was in turmoil.  He had a job to do.  What she was asking him to do was dangerous.  If they found out he could lose his job.  Worse yet people might turn on him.  Two of his men had walked up to stand beside him.  His eyes went to each man looking for an answer.  What he saw was complete support in them.  He avoided looking back at her for a moment.  Instead he looked at the boy, this boy who had saved his life.   His breathing was labored and his eyes…God his eyes were so frightened.  He reminded himself that this was not a boy.  He was a soldier trained to kill…right?  Cooper moved forward reaching up without really thinking about it and brushed sweat soaked hair off the boy's face.  Judging from his size, he couldn't be any older than his own son. 

Cooper turned abruptly from the boy to his men.  Without pausing he issued a command.

"Get the Van ready, break out the first aid kit and bring me a blanket!"

Gem couldn't stop the short sob that escaped her lips or the weakness she felt in her knees at his words, but before she could fall he was there and gave her support.  Then with a gentleness she had never experienced from a human before, he took Dalton into his arms.

Max stepped up, "Ask for Dr. Shankar.  She's familiar with our physiology.  She'll know what to do." 

"Right."

Turning her attention to Dalton Gem caressed his cheek and with a smile gave him a command, "You do exactly as this man tells you."  Dalton barely nodded, unable to speak from the pain and need to breathe, then turned his head into the man's chest and clenched his eyes shut.  

"I'll do the best I can to protect him.  You know he might not…" he couldn't finish, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"I know," Gem replied.  Stepping up on her toes, she kissed his cheek, "Thank you."

~ ~ ~

Mole and Alec stopped when they reached what they knew to be the south end of TC.  They knew soldiers were coming toward them from at least three different directions.  Ahead of them, the sewer was completely blocked by fallen debris.  Getting through it would take time they didn't have. 

"So that's it then, we're sunk," Mole said, "Hell I never expected to be around this long," cocking his gun, he continued, "I'm not goin' easy." 

Alec stood listening, with his shoulder against the wall for support, his breathing hard.  Looking up at Mole, he smirked. 

"Oh I wouldn't say that," Alec replied.

Mole's narrowed his eyes at Alec's words, "What are you talkin' about?"

Reaching into his pocket, Alec retrieved a detonator and held it out. 

Mole took the detonator from his hand.

"Plan B," Alec announced casually, "It's a false wall," he continued, "We'll wait till we're on the other side."

"When did you have time to get this ready?" eying him suspiciously.

"I started a contingency plan the day after I found Joshua here.  Took about a week to get it worked out and set up. It's been here waiting ever since."  

Alec couldn't help but laugh at the look on Mole's face.  The opened mouthed guppy look just didn't go far on a lizard man. 

Mole closed his mouth, finally shaking his head.  Turning the detonator over in his hand, he noted the delay.  

"Just how big an explosion is Plan B, and how much time do we have?"  

"Big enough to pull down a whole city block.  There's a ten second delay. " 

Mole's eyes shot up to Alec's.  "Ten seconds?  For a healthy transgenic, ten seconds is plenty of time, but you're not a healthy transgenic."

"I can make it."

"I told you before this isn't just your life here." 

"Don't make me have to hurt you again, Mole," Alec smiled.  

Mole laughed and shook his head.  "No, no, I don't need another demonstration.  What about human fatalities?"  

Alec's voice hardened, "That's up to them.  I'll give them fair warning.  Their choice to move to safety."

"Let's do this then." 

Mole stepped up to the wall and started moving some of the debris.  Alec pushed away from the wall and groaned.  Everything hurt.  He looked down at his blood soaked pant leg.  

"There's not much you can do about the bleeding right now," Mole revealed.

"I know."

"It's really high up there.  A tourniquet wouldn't work."

"I know."

"No exit wound, huh?  Bullet's still in there."

"I…know."

"Gonna have to wait to do anything about it."

"I kno…Are you deliberately trying to annoy me?" 

Mole smirked at Alec's question.  He glanced over at him momentarily.  Alec was trying to put something over the wound to slow the bleeding down.  

"You know if that had hit you a little more over, you'd be singing soprano."

"Good thing I didn't park it to the right, huh?"

Mole couldn't help the snort that escape his mouth.  "Well when you're finished playing with yourself, get in position, they're coming."

"You know, you're such a funny man…uh…mutant…freak…whatever."  

Alec gave up trying to stem the flow of blood.  Closing his eyes a moment, he waited for the pain to subside.  Everything hurt, more than he was willing to admit.  Loss of blood had weakened him considerably.   He didn't know if he could make it out in time or not, but he wasn't going to let his being hurt hinder Mole's escape.  Closing his eyes, he listened.  He could hear the soldiers clearly now moving at a steady pace.  Not much time left.

He pushed off the wall and limped back to a position about 50 feet from Mole.  Still able to see him, but far enough to keep the soldiers at bay, where they couldn't see what Mole was doing.  He knew that they would have to converge on this position.  He'd hoped to keep them from getting this far, but what happened next would be up to the Colonel.  Foster seemed reasonable and Alec was about to find out how much he valued his men's lives.  Carefully settling himself down behind some fallen cement blocks, he failed to stop the groan that escaped his lips. He closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths trying to control the pain.  Opening his eyes he looked ahead of him.  This position afforded him good cover and view of the junction they would be coming through, if they made it this far.  With a heavy sigh he reached up to activate his com link.

"Colonel.  This is 494.  Do you read me?"

                                                                                    ~ ~ ~ 

The Colonel looked up from the maps.  Clemente came in closer.

"_Colonel, sir, this is 494, respond."_

"This is Colonel Foster," he answered, sitting back. His eyes darted to Clemente.

"_Sir, you need to move your men out of the sewer."_

"I don't think so, 494."

_"Sir, we've been able to avoid fatalities so far.  If your men continue forward, there'll be nothing I can do to stop that. You need to know I have enough C-4 planted to bring down a City block.  You have two minutes to comply."_

Colonel Foster shut his eyes in contemplation.  He was right.  494 had plenty of opportunity to take out some of his men.  Instead of killing them, they had been incapacitated, but alive and able to walk away. Foster didn't want to start having unnecessary fatalities now, but did not want 494 to be a fatality either.  

"494, I'm ordering you to surrender."

"_Sorry sir, but I don't answer to you.  At one time maybe, but not now.  Sir, order your men back now."_

"It doesn't have to be like this.  You can come in."

_"I don't have a choice. You have one minute left."_

Colonel Foster signaled Gamble to order the teams to retreat.  

"You were the sharpshooter in your unit, weren't you, when you worked with a team?"

There was no reply, Colonel Foster continued.  "I know it was your job to protect your unit going in and coming out.  That's what you're doing now isn't it?  Protecting your unit?"

_"No, Sir.  I'm protecting my family. Thirty seconds."_

"Tell me you're name, Son."

_"Colonel, just remember what I told you before.  It's not us you have to worry about…Goodbye Colonel."_

~ ~ ~

Alec sat back hard in thought.  He didn't want to get personal with this man, yet he knew that a man like Foster might make a difference for his people.  Standing, Alec moved in Mole's direction.  Mole was already through. Pulling the detonator from his pocket he started to move faster.  Jumping he dove through the opening and pressed the button to the detonator.  He tucked and rolled into a standing run and blurred forward.  Mole was just ahead of him.  They were nearing a junction that would afford them some protection, when Alec's leg betrayed him.  He tried to tuck as he fell, but only succeeded in slamming his shoulder hard on the concrete floor.  "Ugh," Quickly he scrambled to rise, but his leg refused to work.  Pain radiated down his whole side paralyzing his movements and he fell in a heap.

"Ahh!" screaming in frustration, he pounded the ground and rolled onto his back.  His breathing came in deep gasps and he stared up at nothing as a shaky hand reached up to activate his com link one more time.

"Alec," he rasped, "My name…is Alec." 

End of Chapter 7

A/N:  Yes another one.  This was an incredibly difficult chapter for me to write.  I really would love to get feedback on what you think worked and what didn't or just if you like it.  Thank ya. BHG


	8. That's Him

A/N:  This one's not as long as the last chapter, but I didn't think you wanted to wait half a year for more. : )

This is just partially beta'd so excuse any mistakes.  I'll take care of them later.  Thanks to Petal for her kindness and help.  This starts with the final words from chapter 7.

Chapter 8

"Alec," he rasped, "My name…is Alec." 

The Colonel stood abruptly at hearing 494's voice, and rushed outside the Command Post.  Just as he stepped out a series of explosions went off.  He flinched while instinctively raising a protective arm in front of his face.   Clemente and Gamble rushed out beside him and watched in horror as fire and smoke rose up from the City in an immense ball.  Then a second set of explosions went off followed by the sound of rumbling, as building after building began to collapse in on themselves.

"Oh my God, Colonel. Your men!" Clemente hollered, a look of shock on his face.

Colonel Foster turned to Gamble, his face emotionless, and nodded.  Gamble knew what to do.

"Delta teams two, three, and four report," he waited. No reply.

"Delta teams two, three, and four report."  Long seconds seem to tick by when finally…

_"This is team two, three wounded, no casualties, all accounted for, sir."_

_"Team three, reporting.  No casualties, 5 men still missing." _

_"Team four, we have some injuries, no casualties." _

Gamble visibly sighed in relief.  "Return to Command post. We'll send Medics to meet you.  Team three assist Teams two and four and retrieve our missing soldiers. We believe you'll find them in Sector 3 not far from where the first charges went off." 

"_Yes Sir."_

John Gamble watched as the smoke rose ominously from the City.  He'd hoped it wouldn't have come to this. Frustration overtook him and his breathing increased as he grabbed his com link and tore it from around his neck.  Turning to the Colonel, he stepped forward.  "Sir?" He wanted to explain himself, but he couldn't.  Unable to hold eye contact with the Colonel, he looked away and ran a shaky hand over his face.    

Standing with his hands on his hips, the Colonel turned away from the site, closing his eyes in an effort to control his own emotions. He couldn't berate his Second in Command.  He understood all too well the feelings overwhelming him.   He'd failed to bring about a peaceful solution with the soldier known as X5-494, but he knew too that had it been him in his place, he would not have done different.  Opening his eyes he turned to look at Clemente, who had slowly shrunk to the ground, knees drawn staring wide-eyed and in shock at the smoke and fire.

"Alec," the Colonel spoke softly to him.

"What?" Clemente asked, not sure he heard right.

"His name was Alec." 

"I wish he hadn't told us," Clemente lamented, "When it was just 494, it didn't seem…personal.  Now I…I don't know what to feel."  

Foster's eyes darted to the ground as guilt fought its way into his heart.

"He was right you know," Clemente spoke up suddenly.

"What are you talking about?  What was he right about?"

 "Alec…he was right." Clemente had seen and heard enough.  It was time to make what he knew known.  "It's not the transgenics you we need to worry about."

"Why?  Because 494…Alec said so.  I wish it was that simple, but his word is still not enough."

Standing up, Clemente turned to face Colonel Foster. "I have something you need to see."  Pulling the CD from his pocket, he held out a shaky hand.  

                                                                        ~ ~ ~

Mole had turned the corner at the junction just as the last of the explosions went off.  Bracing himself against the wall he looked back.  

"Come on…come on," he urged, his hand tapping the wall in a nervous rhythm, but Alec didn't come around the corner.   Mole stared back toward freedom and grabbed what was left of his cigar.   'I don't owe him anything,' Mole's mind reasoned as he continued toward what he knew was life.   'He knew the stakes…he knew.'  But Mole's body warred with his reasoning and forced him to look down at what was in his hand…a cigar…a stinkin' piece of rolled up vegetation. 

"That son of a bitch is gonna owe me big time." 

 Turning abruptly, Mole ran back in the direction he'd come and to what he hope would not be his death.           

                                                ~ ~ ~  

Max's head jerked up as she came to a sudden stop.  Turning slowly back toward Seattle, her breathing quickened at the sight before her.  She took a few steps back the way she came and watched as a series of explosions grew to form a giant fireball that rose above Terminal City. 

A strangled whisper escaped her lips, "No."  

She felt Biggs come close and put a hand on her shoulder.  They stood together and watched as the buildings began to collapse and dust and debris ascended like a monstrous shadow.  A few seconds later, the rumbling sound reached her ears.  Max felt her lips quiver and her heart constrict. A lone tear began to fall.  Wiping it roughly, she pulled away from Biggs and started forward, once again, back in the direction of the City, her movements more frantic with each step.  

Biggs tried to grab her arm in an effort to stop her.  She jerked away and stumbled forward. 

 "Max…Max, stop!"

She ignored him and continued.

"Max…Max!" 

Max felt him grab her again and she turned to face him.

"No…no I have to go back. I have to find him." She tried desperately to pull away, but his grip tightened. 

"No, Max you can't go back there!"

 Anger surged in her and she swung her fist in his direction.  Bigg's head snapped to the side at the blow, but his hold never wavered.  Instead he grabbed her other arm and jerked her toward him.  When she began to struggle his hand reached around her back in a blur of movement and pulled her close against his chest and trapping her arms.  When her struggles increased, he pulled her even tighter and held on, ignoring the pleas that cut deep into his heart and the pain that flared in his shoulder.   Finally when he thought he couldn't hold on any longer her struggles began to wane. He lowered his head, his lips near her ear and whispered.

"If he's alive, he'll come."  

"Please," her voice desperate and low, "I have to go back."

"No Max…you have to lead."

Biggs felt her body collapse against him and begin to shake as sobs wracked her body.  He felt his own eyes grow heavy with tears and gently rubbed her head with his cheek. 

"He'll come, Max…he will."  

He felt her hands move and he released the pressure of his hold, allowing her to reach around his body.  His heart broke when he felt her clutch his shirt tightly, pulling him impossibly closer. Burying his face in her neck, he allowed his own grief to join Max in her feelings of helplessness.

                                                                        ~ ~ ~               

Mole turned the corner and immediately found himself dodging debris as the force of the explosion moved in his direction. Using his arm to cover his head, he pressed forward with caution.  Not fifteen feet in front of him, he could see Alec turn over on his stomach and try to pull himself forward, covering his head when flying debris flew in all directions around him.   Grunts of pain and effort reached his ears prompting Mole to move swiftly.   Turning sideways, Mole managed to dodge a large piece of debris that hurtled toward him.  Too late, though, to respond to a second smaller piece, glancing off his back.  Cursing, he continued to move unable to avoid the increasing pieces of debris as they rained down from all sides.  Mole's own grunts of displeasure joining in with Alec's.  

Alec could feel his strength waning with each effort.  Inside he knew it was useless, but he had to try.  He'd promised.  Her kiss lingered in his memory, her face played in front of him.   He refused to give up as bloody hands reached out in front of him pulling, dragging, and scraping his body along.  Pieces of rock, wood, and dirt smacked into him, bruising him, slowing his progress, as the ceiling seemed to fall all around.  With each hit, darkness played at the edges of his vision.  Her face once so clear now blurred and seemed to fade away.

"No," he cried, "No!"

"What do you mean no, get your ass up!"

"Huh?" Alec felt something grab a hold of him and jerk him in an upward direction and the once beautiful vision turned into…"Oh God!"  He shut his eyes.     

"Shut up!  Let's go."

Mole pulled Alec's arm across his shoulder, but felt him push away and sag toward the ground.   

"Oh no you don't, Mole urged, while pulling back up, "Come on, Alec.  Help me here." 

"Uh…ca…can't…leg won't…work.  Go…you need…to…to go."

The Rumble of collapsing buildings roared through the tunnel and the ground beneath them began to tremble.  Mole glanced back and what he saw made his heart pound.  A thick cloud of debris and dust was rushing toward them at an incredible rate.  There was no time to waste.  

"No way pretty boy, I need more cigars."  

No longer careful, he jerked Alec up and over his shoulder, blocking out the cries of pain that filled his ears and moved quickly forward.  Mole felt his heart constrict when Alec's body, at first tense, suddenly went limp.   Sprinting in the direction of safety, he pushed his emotions aside.  Determination now controlled his moves, as he maneuvered over and around obstacles in their path.  Dust and dirt swirled all around, blocking his nose and filling his mouth making it hard to take in a full breath. The junction lay within reach.  'Just a few more feet,' his mind screamed, 'We can make it.'  

But it was not to be, as the force of the debris cloud reached them, propelling him and his burden up into the air.  Mole impacted the ground forcing what little air he had to rush from his lungs.  He felt the weight on his shoulders tumble forward over his head and roll ahead of him like a limp rag doll.  

"No, can't lose you now," he  barely rasped out, as he scrambled forward frantically on hands and knees, reaching ahead in a desperate effort to catch Alec before he was beyond reach.     

Alec's body slammed into the far corner of the junction, jarring his senses, forcing consciousness to the fore with what felt like a kick in the ribs.  Unable to think clearly, his own instinct of self-preservation caused him to react, reaching out and grabbing hold of anything as he slid past.  His hand clamped down as it came in contact with a piece of metal jutting out, a pipe.  Pain radiated through his body, stealing his breath and trying to break his resolve.   He could hear a voice calling him, telling him to hang on.   So he did.

Mole knew there was no way they could make it into the junction now, so he let his body move past it and reach out.  Grabbing the same pipe, his body swung around smacking into Alec with a grunt.  Alec's hold on the pipe was lost on impact and Mole could feel his body slipping away.

"I said hold on, damn it!" 

Snatching his hand before he could slip further away, Mole let out a yell of determination as he pulled Alec back up and wrapped his legs around him as an anchor.   Then pushing Alec's face toward his chest for protection, he reached up and grabbed the pipe with his now free hand.   It felt as if his arms would rip from his body as the force of debris increased.   Finally after what seemed like an eternity it began to wane leaving in it's wake dust, dirt and rock burying the two Manticorians.

                                                                        ~ ~ ~

Gamble sat forward, watching intently the screen before him of the events at Jam Pony.  What he was seeing was incomprehensible.  Yet the evidence was right there in front of him.  They were not transgenics, but what were they?  As he watched closely his eyebrows knitted together when…

"That's him," Gamble announced, his voice reserved.  

"What are you talking about?" Clemente replied, leaning forward to get a closer look.

Lt. Gamble reached out and paused the video file.  He pointed to a young man, clutching his arm as he backed away from the tactical team member he was fighting.  It gave them the first clear picture of his face.  Gamble had recognized it from the Manticore pictures on file.

"That's him," Gamble repeated, "494…Alec."

"Are you sure?" Clemente asked.

"Watch, I'll show you."  Gamble's hands moved quickly over the computer keyboard and accessed the Manticore file showing X5-494.  "See, it's him."

"But he was wounded.  Are you telling me this wounded man got the best of your teams?"

"Yes Sir, he sure did," John's words sounded with special pride, "He was created to be a superior soldier.  His wounds, nor the pain would be allowed to interfere with the completion of a mission.  They were taught to push it aside.  Short of death, they're virtually unstoppable."

"My God!" Clemente exclaimed.

He stared hard at the face before him.  A supersoldier? 'He couldn't be more than 20 or 21 years old.'  Clemente's mind was in a whirl of awe and sorrow.  This young man had outwitted three Delta Force Teams and held them at bay while his unit…no, his family escaped.  Leaning his elbows on the table, Clemente rubbed his face with his hands.  What he was learning was beginning to overwhelm him.  All of this was so unnecessary.  He couldn't contain the anger that rose from within.  Anger for the needless loss of life.  Anger for what the government created.  Most of all anger for the young man in front of him, who never had the chance to live a normal life.  Standing abruptly he turned and began to pace.  Stopping to face the Colonel, he waved his hand toward Terminal City.  

"This shouldn't have happened, Colonel.  That boy should never have been put in a position like that.  What the hell were you people thinking?" he yelled.

"You're right.  It shouldn't have come to this.  The ultimate goal, when the Manticore program was started, was to save lives," the Colonel sighed, "The hope was that by creating the perfect soldier, we would lose less in time of war.  Keep loss of life down."

"Well that certainly sounds noble! It doesn't change the fact that people died today.  Yes, people, Colonel.  Anyone that died today was one of them and I can't look at him and separate him from me."  Pointing to the face on the screen, he continued, "Look at him! I don't see a monster. He looks like you and me.  He wasn't some mindless unfeeling robot soldier.  He had a personality, he could feel pain, he had…a family." Clemente turned in frustration his hand falling to his side with a slap. "What happened today can't be for nothing, Colonel.  We have to make it right."  

"Well with this evidence you've given me, it may just be possible to do that…At least for the rest of them."

Gamble let out a short laugh, interrupting the tension that was so thick in the air.  

"He did it, you know," Gamble looked over to the Colonel, and noted their confusion. "He did what he was created to do."

Foster stared at the face on the screen.  "You're right…you are absolutely right."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Clemente asked.  

Gamble couldn't contain his enthusiasm.

"Don't you see it?  My God! He was one X-5 who led maybe 6 or 7 transhumans into a battle against three Special Ops Teams. He determined our strategy and used it against us.  He did what he was trained to do and he succeeded in his mission with minimal loss of life."  Gambled stared at them with a look of awe and sat back hard against his chair.  His eyes once again going to the picture on the screen, and sighed, waving his hand gently toward the screen and speaking softly, "He did it…Sir."

Colonel Foster's shoulders slumped as he turned and stepped to the door of the Command Post.  Leaning against the door jam he watched as the smoke continued to rise above the city and spoke, his voice with an air of defeat.  

"Yes John…he did it."

~ ~ ~  

White couldn't believe what was happening in front of him.  He stood and watched, anger rising within him like a plague.  Otto sat in the car, a bandage pressed against his head from debris that hurtled its way toward them.  Two other of his men had been injured by debris and were being treated by paramedics.  Some of his men had already entered the sewer system just east of his position when the first set of explosions occurred.   White had moved quickly to avoid the force of the explosion as it ripped through the fence.   National Guard who had been patrolling the perimeter had not been as quick.  Most of the injured had already been shipped to the hospital. Stepping forward, his eyes narrowed, an evil glint manifesting itself.  This was not the end of it.   494 had a way of slipping through death's fingers and White knew he had to be sure.  Looking back he noted Otto was leaning back with his eyes closed.

"I'm going down there.  My gut tells me he's alive and I have no intention of letting him get away again."

Otto opened his eyes, brows knitted in a frown, "No one could survive that.  It took down a whole City block."

"I thought he was dead before, but he managed to escape that only to come back into my life like a plague.  No…I won't accept that he's dead until I see his body or kill him myself."

"Our orders are to apprehend, not kill."

White's anger got the best of him as he closed his fists around Otto's collar, jerking him out of the car and within inches of his face.

"I don't give a damn about any orders!" 

Otto flinched slightly, but held his ground.  He was tired of White's ranting.  

"Then you go without me.  I won't disobey orders to satisfy your blood lust."

White's eyes narrowed as he let go and watched as Otto fell to the ground beside the car.

"Fine! I don't need you.  I never did."

Otto looked up from the ground, a grimace on his face from the pain that exploded inside his head and stared defiantly at White.  

White reached around Otto and popped the trunk.  Ignoring Otto's struggles to stand he walked around and reached inside extracting a 12-gauge pump action shotgun.  Stepping back around, White leaned in close to Otto and whispered, his voice cold and deadly.

"If you're not with me, then you're against me.  Make sure you're not here when I get back."

Shoving him with his shoulder, White headed in the direction of Terminal City and disappeared into a manhole.

Catching himself on the car door, all Otto could do was stare after him and wonder at the man's sanity.   Otto had known something was not right for a long time, but he chose to ignore it.  That was something that had to change, gingerly sitting back in the car, Otto reached for the radio mic.  

"Dispatch, this is Special Agent Gottlieb, patch me through to Colonel Foster."

End of Chapter 8

                                                                                                Please review - Thank ya! 


	9. Aftermath

Author's note:  Thanks to my sweet Alecsangel for Beta reading.  She's my new annoyance : ) Supposed to whine and pester me until I get this done.  Isn't that great?  

Chapter 9- Title: On The Run

An eerie silence reigned now in the tunnels as the aftermath of destruction finally settled.   A few bits and pieces of debris hung precariously from above.   From time to time some broke loose, their sound reverberating in the seemingly empty tunnels.   But they were not empty.  Sticking out in stark contrast amidst the dirt, rock and metal was a hand.   It's grip tight about a piece of pipe that ran up the length of the wall.  A second hand emerged to join it.  Strained muscles and enlarged veins could be seen with the effort put forth to free them from their prison.  Muffled sounds of exertion could be heard along with the increasing sounds of debris as it rose away from the body and fell to the sides.   

A barely audible yell issued forth from beneath the rubble as debris exploded in all directions away from the trapped bodies.  Mole lay on his back, arms sprawled out from his sides.   Great gulps of air echoed down the tunnels as his body's need for air reflected its desperation.   Mole's head began to clear as the much needed oxygen made it's way through the cobwebs of his mind.   A shaky laugh escaped his lips when he realized he was alive, but his joy was short lived as the reality of the situation hit.

"Shit," Mole sat up like he'd been burned.  Frantic hands began removing debris from around Alec.  Fear began to replace his initial feelings of relief when he realized that his friend was not breathing.  Grabbing a hold of the top of Alec's flack jacket he pulled for all he was worth.  Alec's body literally popped free of the rubble, the force of which slammed Mole once again on his back with Alec atop.  Scrambling quickly, Mole switched positions laying Alec on his back and quickly tilting his chin up.  Mole gazed for only a second at the slack face below him with a sigh.

"Human…they had to make you look…ugh…like a human."

With that said, Mole began to breathe for his friend.

~ ~ ~ 

White made his way through the tunnels precariously.  He could feel the fury of emotions pass through his veins like adrenaline, empowering him with each step.   He'd been detoured from his goal too many times by the incompetence of those around him and no longer would he leave it to others to do what needed to be done.   Thula had not checked in confirming what he suspected, that she'd failed again to get 452.  No matter, he'd find the other curse of his existence and use him as the tool he needed to find his son.   Then with slow satisfaction he'd dispose of them both.  A cruel smile of anticipation spread across his face and White increased his pace.    

~ ~ ~ 

Alec's body finally began to respond by coughing and with a start his eyes snapped opened.  

"What the hell…are you doing?  Are you…trying to…to…kiss me?" he rasped out, all the while trying to move away from Mole.  

"Well you are a pretty boy." Mole smirked in return.  Alec scrambled harder. "Hey, be still.  Where the hell are you trying to go?"

"Away," he spat out.  His lungs burned and felt like lead weight as his body tried to expel the dust and dirt it had inhaled.   Pain throughout his body began to awaken, but his coughing prevented him from voicing it.

Mole clasped Alec's arms to still him.  He couldn't help smiling even wider at the look of horror on Alec's face.

"Stop it, you idiot.  You weren't breathing.  I didn't have a lot of choice…I said stop."  Mole pressed down harder to stop his movements.

Alec's body slumped as his mind began to process what Mole said and their situation came back to mind full force.   His body trembled in its effort to relax and gain some kind of control.  He could feel Mole's hand move to his chest.

"That's it," Mole said, his face turning to one of concern, "Rest a second.  Get your bearings."

"Hurts," Alec replied, his voice hoarse.  

"I know.  I'll take care of that.  You know where you are?"

Alec's eyes darted around him and he nodded.  "Yeah…yeah…I'm good."

"Okay then…I'm going to let go.  You stay put."

Alec smiled, "That's…the second…time I…I woke up with…your mug too…close."

"Yeah well it wasn't a picnic for me either, but it was that or let you die."

"Th…thanks." 

Alec groaned as his chest constricted and tried again to expel whatever junk had invaded it.   He closed his eyes and concentrated on gaining some kind of control over his breathing and the pain while his mind went over their situation.  They needed to get moving.  It was only a matter of time before the military reorganized and entered the tunnels.  Even more so, Alec knew that White would do anything to get his hands on Max.  He needed to get to her, no matter what the cost.  Besides he'd promised.   Opening his eyes he watched as Mole removed his pack, retrieving the first aid kit.  Alec moved to sit up grunting with the effort.  

Mole responded quickly helping him to turn and lean against the wall and then handing him a canteen.  He watched Alec raise a shaky hand to drink, while he quickly reached in the kit for a pressure bandage and morphine stick.  

"We need to get someplace stable to take care of that wound."

"Is…is the original…junction passable?" Alec asked between labored breaths.   Mole applied the bandage and it was all he could do to keep from squirming away.

"No," Mole answered, "It's completely collapsed."

"Uh…let me…think…" Alec shut his eyes in his effort to bring to mind what he had put to memory of the grid map, "Two…two clicks up…and…one over…wor…work station…for utility…uh …company…" Alec gasped, as pain radiated in waves down his leg and deep in his hip.

Mole grabbed the morphine stick ready to apply it when Alec's hand reached out to stop him.  

"No…if you…do that…I'll be no good…. We both need to…be alert."

"Fine," Mole replied with disgust, at the same time applying more pressure.  "This won't hold long.  We need to get going.  Once there I can do more to take care of it."

"Kay," was Alec's only reply, as he lowered his head.

Mole stared at Alec's pale face, worried for the soldier.  He looked terrible.  Sweat ran in rivulets down his face and neck leaving dirty streaks where dust, dirt and blood marred them.  There were tears in his uniform and blotches of blood where he'd obviously taken some hits.   Mole sighed in disgust when he realized he didn't look much better from his own encounters.  Everything ached and he could feel blood trickle down his back from an early hit.

Checking the bandage one more time he noted that the bleeding had slowed, but not stopped.  That bullet needed to come out, the wound cauterized, but not yet.  They needed to find a safe place so Alec could recoup some of the strength he'd lost.  Transgenic or not, there was only so much a body could take and without rest, his own healing abilities would not kick in.   The young transgenic would die and it pissed Mole off that he found himself caring whether this one did or not.   He quickly stuffed their supplies back in his pack and swung it into place over his shoulders.   

"Ready?" Mole asked.

"Try your com first, let 'em know our status," ordered Alec.

"Command this is Two, come in."  Mole waited for a reply, but heard only static.  "Dix! Answer me."  No reply, only static. "Must be interference from all the debris.  We'll have to wait until we're topside to contact command.  In the meantime, we need to get moving."

Alec sighed as he raised his head up.  "Right."  

In one fluid motion Mole lifted Alec off the ground to a standing position, moving to support his right side.  Alec's eyes widened at the shock of movement, but to his credit no sounds escaped his lips.  Only the sound of his ragged breathing an indicator of the toll it took on him.  Swallowing hard Alec turned a determined face to Mole, "Let's go."

Stuffing what was left of his cigar in his mouth, Mole smiled, "Yes sir."  

~ ~ ~

More than 24 hours had passed since the end of the hostage situation at Jam Pony, twenty-four of the longest hours in Max's life.  She sat now, on an outcropping of boulders staring off in the distance toward Terminal City.  Small tendril's of smoke could be seen as they rose lazily from the destruction she knew Alec had  wreaked on the City.  She couldn't help the smile that broke out over her face when she thought of how much trouble he had obviously caused in a single night.  After all causing trouble seemed to be his forte.  At the same time her heart ached for him.  'I'd been so wrong about him,' her mind fairly screamed at her.  She'd allowed her own personal demons to dictate her treatment of him and now she sat here staring off toward the black smoke waiting, waiting for him to walk up to her with that damn cocky grin of his infuriating the hell out of her.  God, what she wouldn't give to have that feeling again.  

Sighing deeply, she let her mind go back to the reports they'd received.  Especially after Alec's team started trickling in. First from the two X-4s ordered by Alec to move ahead with a wounded female.   She'd been seriously wounded, but lucid and able to be debriefed.  Their information told what Alec's team was up against and even though Max knew that as transgenics they were more than a match for the Special Ops teams, she couldn't help but worry.   She also told of Alec's treatment of her, which caused her heart to swell.  Chickgirl had never been treated with such compassion and respect before by an X-5.  In the past she'd always been treated with contempt, because she was considered a nomaly.   Max reveled in the descriptions she gave, but dread returned to her as the rest of Alec's team trickled in and were debriefed.  Alec and Mole had successfully diverted the military and here she sat safe and sound.   But Alec was wounded and on the run with Mole.  That is if they were still alive.   For all she knew he lay buried under a ton of rubble.

"No!" she spoke with determination, "I refuse to believe that you're dead, Alec." Standing abruptly, she took several steps toward the City.  "You're not!"  

"Max?"

Startled from her reverie, Max turned to the voice that stopped her in her tracks.

"Max, we could get a team together.  Go back and search for him."

Stepping toward an approaching Logan Max replied, her voice low and full of emotion, "We wouldn't know where to look.  Part of the plan was that only he would know their escape route.  He didn't want to risk being compromised if some of us were caught."

"Surely we can…"

"No, Logan," Max interrupted, "we can't…at least not until we have better information.  By now the military have reorganized and stepped up their movements.  We don't even know if they're alive.  I can't endanger our people…I can't…I." Emotions welled up inside her despite brave efforts to stop them.    Max turned watery eyes away from Logan.  "I hate who I have to be right now!  I hate it."

Logan looked away for a moment, gathering his thoughts.  He wanted more than anything to reach out a comforting hand to Max, but that was something Manticore had taken away from them and God only knew if that would ever change.  What could he offer her?  His love was not an option anymore.  At least the kind of love he had for her.   However, he doubted he could ever stop loving her that way.

"I'm sorry Max.  I'm sorry for the hand that has been dealt to you…to us.  If I could change it for you, I would."

Max looked over at Logan as he walked up next to her, a sad smile on her face for the man she now knew could never be more to her than a close friend, a brother.

"I know."

"He'll make it Max; he always does."

Max raised her chin slightly, "I have to believe that's true.  I have to."

~ ~ ~

Colonel Foster examined the grid map in front of him.  Paying particular attention to the area south of Terminal City.  His team's leaders were with him awaiting their orders.  

"Cunningham, take your team and enter the tunnels just Southeast of this area.   Harrison, your team enters here.  You'll begin a grid search working toward the center.  John you and your team will accompany me here.   I want your men to secure the perimeter.  I don't want anyone or anything entering or leaving this area.  On my order John, I may require that you go high."

"Not a problem, sir."

Lt. Clemente stepped forward.  "Do you really think he's alive?"

"White thinks he is and from what Agent Gottlieb said, X5-494 has slipped through his fingers before." 

"But even a transgenic has limits.  Don't they?"

"Yes they do and if he's alive we'll find him.  If he's not," Colonel Foster paused thoughtfully,  "we'll bring him home along with his subordinate."

"He's done it before you know," Gamble interjected, "slipped right through someone's fingers, made it when the odds were against him."

"What do you mean?" Clemente asked.  

"His records indicate that on three of his early missions, before he became a covert operative, he covered his teams tracks and for all intents and purposes was thought lost or dead.  But on each mission he would walk in days later, half dead, but alive.   He has an incredible tenacity for self-preservation.  Man what I wouldn't give to have him as a part of my team."  Gamble's obvious admiration for the X5 could be heard clearly in his voice.

"Why not?" Clemente interjected, "If he's the soldier you say he is, isn't it possible?"

"He was Special Ops before his status was changed to a covert operative," Gamble informed him.  "I'm not sure they wouldn't want to keep him a part of covert operations.  That is if they are integrated back into military service."

"Only a handful of the X5 series were chosen for that division of service," the Colonel continued, "They had to have shown special abilities for that.  Apparently, X5-494 possesses those abilities.  Abilities he demonstrated to our own embarrassment."  

Clemente's eyes widened in understanding and then disgust.  "Wait a minute, what exactly was he used for.  He said something to you Colonel about disobeying a direct order.  He refused to kill innocents."  Clemente paused to gather his thoughts when the full extent of what Manticore was doing hit him.  "An assassin.  That's it, isn't it.  They were training him to be some kind of assassin."

"You know as well as I do that the military have used covert operatives for a number of things including assassinations.  That's not a military secret anymore, but Manticore went beyond their contracts with the military and used the X series for their own personal missions and while I have allowed you to be privy to some of information on what this particular X-5 did, the rest is classified.  I'm sorry, Clemente, but that's as much as I'm willing to let you know.  With that said, can I count on you to support our current mission?"

Clemente didn't answer right away.  Instead turned away in contemplation of all he'd been privy too.  He knew that Foster could have completely left him out in the dark.  He could have easily ordered that none of the local law enforcement were to involve themselves.   He certainly had the authority.  'No,' Clemente thought, 'I won't be left out of the rest.'

"I'll help out Colonel," he spoke with conviction.  Turning around he continued, "I've been too close to this now to be left out.  We'll cooperate all we can."

"Then immobilize your men to this position," the Colonel commanded.

"Yes Sir," Clemente replied with a smile.

~ ~ ~ 

White narrowed his eyes and bent down to examine the dark patch on the floor.  Reaching down he touch the sticky substance.  Rubbing it slowly between his forefinger and thumb he raised it and sniffed.  Turning his head down the tunnel, he rose and moved cautiously forward following the blood trail, a smile donning his face.  

"I'm coming 494…I'm coming."

~ ~ ~

"No sir, I don't know where Agent White is," Brooks spoke over the phone.  "Well Senator, he's refused to keep in contact with us for quite awhile now.  Lt. Clemente is working in conjunction with Colonel Foster of Special Forces.  White is not there."  Brooks spoke matter-of-factly.

The last thing he needed was for Senator McKinnley to hear anything out of the ordinary in his voice.  He'd done more digging and found further evidence of McKinney's connections with White.  He'd copied it off and was on his way out when McKinnley called.  Apparently White had failed to check in with him as well.

"Excuse me, you're what Sir?  When should we expect you?"  Brooks paused and wiped the sweat from his brow.  The disgusted look on his face belied his voice.  "Yes Sir, I'll notify Lt. Clemente and Colonel Foster of when you will be arriving.  I'll have a car at the airport to transport you to their location."  

Brooks hung up and sagged back in his chair with a sigh.  "Shit, could this get anymore complicated?  I've got to update Ramon."  Grabbing his coat and the discs, he headed out in search of his boss and friend.

End of Chapter 9  (Short I know, but at least I'm writing.) 

Just hit the button and Wha la! You can review : ) 


	10. Stupid

Chapter 10 – On The Run

A/N:  Want to thank my little angel for beta reading for me and making this flow so much better.  Don't forget to tell me what you think.  : )

~ ~  ~ 

"No…are you crazy!"

"Oh come on," Mole whined, "I just got it and haven't had a chance to use it yet."

Alec found himself again trying to shuffle away from Mole.  In his mind this was happening all too often.  

"No, no, no.  You are…not…using…the knife I got you…on…me.  No!"  Alec's words came in huffs as he struggled.

Grabbing Alec's pants leg Mole halted any progress Alec made.  Not that he was making much progress given his injuries.  "Look, it's nice and sharp.  A quick slice, a little jab and I can pop that baby right outta there.  Don't move." In one quick stroke he sliced the pant leg open at the point of the bullet's entry.

"Ah…stop!"  Alec's voice had risen an octave at the sight of a special forces knife coming so close to…well so close.  His hand blurred forward and grabbed Mole's wrist.  "I said no!"  

Mole stared at the pale face so determined to stop his particular style of field medicine.   Narrowing his eyes slightly, he shifted them slowly from Alec's face to the hand that held his wrist and back up again.  Chewing the stogie in his mouth he took a moment to contemplate just how far he thought he could go.   Shrugging his shoulders, he decided enough was enough, "You're so easy," and smiled.

Alec blinked. 

"You can let go, pretty boy.  We'll do it your way and use that toothpick you call a pocketknife."

A nervous laugh escaped Alec's lips as he slumped back in relief.   

Mole retrieved Alec's pocketknife and began to ready himself for what was to come.

"It's all your fault you know," Mole said, "Can't help taking advantage of an X-5 sap."  

Alec lifted his head and stared at him dumbfounded.   Ignoring the fact that Mole had flipped a lighter open and begun sterilizing the knife.

"Sap?"

With the 'toothpick' now poised above the wound, Mole swallowed hard as he began to probe it. "Well I didn't used to think so, but you've been awful easy lately."  

"Well yeah!…after being shot…ugh…several times…uh…fal…falling out a a…window…and…Oh God!…losing…mmmmost of…of…my blood…Geez! What are…you do…doing in there?"

Mole glanced quickly at Alec's sweat soaked face.  He didn't think the boy could get any paler.  He was wrong.

"Damn bullet's wedged against the bone," Mole grunted,  "Hang on."

The scream that erupted from Alec was something Mole would never forget as the bullet finally broke free and came out with ease.  By this time Alec's breathing was coming in short labored gasps and his body trembled.  Mole wanted nothing better than to stop, but he wasn't through.  This would need cauterized if they were going to be able to move again and he still needed to check his other injuries.  

"Do me a favor?" Mole asked, "Why don't you pass out, so I don't have to listen to your pansy assed moans and groans?"

Alec turned a wry smile toward Mole. "Kay," came Alec's shaky reply and Mole watched with trepidation as his friend's head lolled to the side and his body went limp.

"Shit! You weren't supposed to be so willing," Mole sighed and reached over to check his pulse.  It was fast and he felt hot to the touch, a good indication of the toll the last day's adventure had taken and his body's efforts to heal.   

Mole lifted the lighter to the knife once again and did the deed once it was red hot.  Alec never flinched.  

~ ~ ~ 

McKinley's motorcade slowly pulled up to the warehouse, where their so-called elite were housed during this operation, an operation, which should have been an easy mission of eliminating the threat of 452.  After all, they were superior in every way.   Instead of the expected victory, he was now faced with having to deal with their complete failure.  Ironically, his arrival seemed to coincide with the return of Thula and what was left of her team.  McKinley watched with growing anger from behind tinted windows as they limped in carrying their wounded and dead.  Watching this sad procession was like a thorn in the side.    Stepping out of the limo, he was immediately surrounded by his guards.  As one they moved inside the warehouse.

Thula turned at the sound of footsteps.  Recognizing who it was, she immediately lowered herself to one knee, her eyes down in shame.  The rest of her team, who were able, mimicked her actions.  

McKinley approached and reached down with his hand.  Lightly touching Thula's chin, he coaxed her head up until she was looking directly at him.  The contempt on his face was very evident and he wanted her to see it.  This group of their elite had proved inferior.  There was only one option.  The Senator let go of her face and turned to leave.  Two of the guards turned with him.  The third stepped up, reached inside his jacket, removed his gun and systematically shot each member of their so-called elite.  

When the sound of gunfire had died down and his man had returned, McKinley pulled out his cell phone to make a call.

"It's done."

Severing the connection, he calmly sat back, brushing off his coat and signaled his driver to go.   He needed to get to the command post and take control of the situation before White did something stupid.  He too would pay for his incompetence.  

~ ~ ~ 

Brooks drove as quickly as he dared to the location Clemente had indicated.  As he pulled up to the scene, his mouth fell open at the intense activity that seemed to be going on.  Teams of Special Ops soldiers moved in very deliberate directions.  It was obvious to him that they were spreading out to specific points to enter the tunnels, while others were taking up strategic points around the perimeter.  In the center of it all was Ramon giving orders to Cooper's team.  'Where the hell was Cooper?' Brook's mind wondered.

He couldn't be bothered with trying to figure it out, things had just become more complicated with the arrival of McKinley.  Stepping out of the car, he stood and waited while Clemente finished with the team and watched as they dispersed.  

Clemente caught his eye and moved to join him.

"I know you didn't just show up here to see what was going on."

Brooks looked around and sighed, "We have a new ingredient in the mix.  McKinley arrived in town not more than an hour ago."

Brooks was surprised at the colorful string of words that issued forth from his superior.  It was way beyond anything he'd ever heard before and he wondered at the origin of some of the words.   

Clemente rubbed a hand across his face in an effort to gain some insight into what he needed to do.

But really there was nothing he could do on his own with this turn of events.  Turning abruptly from Brooks he moved swiftly toward Colonel Foster.

"Follow me Brooks," he commanded.

Colonel Foster was rapidly talking over his com system and then gave Gamble his final orders.

"Once your team is in place, leave them in the command of your second.  I want you to go high, my gut tells me that whatever is going to happen will be swift and I need to be sure we have total control of the situation and area."

"Yes Sir."  

Clemente watched patiently as Gamble left at a jog toward his position.  

"Colonel we need to talk."

"I'm a bit busy right now, Clemente."

"A situation has arisen that you need to be aware of before you proceed."

"A situation?"

Foster remained completely still and gave his full attention to the Lieutenant.  

"Colonel Foster, this is Sergeant Brooks and he has some relevant information."

Foster nodded to Brooks whose expression turned from one of awe to one of shock.

"But Ramon…"

"It's okay, he knows."

"He knows?" Brooks hesitated.  Clemente nodded. 

"Sir, Colonel, Sir," Brooks stammered, "Senator McKinley has arrived in Seattle and is on his way here."

"And that should concern me, why?"

"He claims to have new orders from the President authorizing him to take over complete control of your operation.  Sir… I don't think you want to let him do that."

Foster's eyes narrowed and he tilted his head slightly to the side as he took in what Sergeant Brooks was saying.

"First of all, I doubt he has authorization for full control.  Although I can see the President allowing him a certain amount of authority, even some decision making.  However, this is a military operation, not political.  Second, why would this be a problem beyond the obvious headaches for me?"

"Well um…sir…you see…"

"He's one of them." Clemente interrupted, "He's connected with White's Cult.  We have proof."

Colonel Foster allowed the statement to penetrate and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose.  Frustration was evident in the heavy sigh that escaped his lips.  Looking up he determined the need to know more.  The answers would affect his next move.   

"I have to ask this, does the proof you have connect this Cult to the President in any way?"

Brooks again looked from Clemente to the Colonel.  "Not that I could find, but McKinley was definitely connected as well as some other higher ups in the government."

"Good, then the proof we have should convince the President to proceed differently and with caution, but I doubt we can use any of it now.  I don't want to play our hand and expose our knowledge to McKinley or the cult.  We're going to have to play dumb and let him think he has control."

"If that boy is alive, he'll take him into custody and kill him.  You know that." Clemente exclaimed.  "He has preached extermination from the get go where the transgenics are concerned."

"Well then," Foster smiled, "We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen."  Turning away for a moment, Colonel Foster issued new orders to his men.  They would move forward with less caution in order to achieve their objective more quickly.  Giving his attention again to Clemente, Foster issued new orders to him.

"Pull your men back in Lieutenant, I need you to delay McKinley's arrival.  Whatever is going to happen here has to happen before he arrives.   Once I have 494 in custody, I'll have better control.  Be aware that I will commandeer your police station to hold and debrief him.  That will afford me the time and opportunity to contact the President and decide our next step."

Clemente nodded a pleased look on his face.  "I think that perhaps some of the sector points are going to get more difficult to pass through.  What do you think Brooks?  Think you can handle that."

"Oh yeah, I can do that."

With a plan in the works Foster moved back into position for what was to come.

~ ~ ~

To any outsider the scene before them would be odd to say the least, if not impossible to some, the beginning of a nightmare to others, a monster hovering over an injured and bloody human.  Your first reaction is that the monster did it, but you'd be wrong.   First impressions are not always right.

Mole sat against the wall with his head tilted back.  His eyes closed for a moment after letting a very tired sigh escape his lips.   They wouldn't have long to rest, that would have to come later.  A soft moan reached his ears and Mole tilted his head to look at his friend.   Alec wasn't really awake, but turned on his side, pulling his legs up into a fetal position and began to shiver.    Mole reached down and touched his forehead.   It was cold to the touch, yet when he checked his body, it was burning up.   Leaning forward he removed his jacket and gently lay it across Alec's body.

Alec's eyes fluttered open watching Mole with glazed eyes.  "Th th thanks," he croaked out.

"Five more minutes," Mole stated plainly and watched Alec's eyes flutter closed as he nodded. The trembling didn't stop.   

Mole scanned their surroundings for the tenth time, listening carefully for any unusual sounds.  The stink of the place made him cringe.  There were three tunnels leading away from the direction they came, any one of them could lead to their freedom or death.   They hadn't encountered anyone yet, but the longer they delayed the more likely that would change.  Checking his gun again, he lay it on top of his leg, with his hand resting over the comforting, cool metal in anticipation for quick action.  Leaning his head back against the wall he once again released a tired sigh.

~ ~ ~ 

White hesitated for a moment to assess his position .  He was close he could feel it and almost smell it.  The blood trail had led him to a junction and then seemed to end.   Water from broken lines rushed across the area, washing away any evidence of which way they had gone, but he was so close.  Injured, 494 couldn't have gone far before he had to stop and deal with his wounds.   White looked up and then down the junction, his face firm and serious.   Finally he moved to the right.  He'd proceed in this direction for a time and if no signs showed, he'd head back the way he came.  He wasn't worried, he knew he'd catch up soon and then get what he craved, a way to find his son or 452.  If not, then he'd have the satisfaction of squeezing the life out of him.  Either way, he'd win.  

~ ~ ~ 

"Report," Foster commanded.

"We've reached the edge of ground zero.  Our approximate location is where X5-494 would have been forced to go.  There's a lot of debris, but no bodies…what?…Just a second sir."

Colonel Foster carefully noted their position in conjunction with the other teams on the map, as he waited patiently for his man to come back.  A systematic search had continually been hindered by fallen debris, but they had made considerable headway in spite of these setbacks.  

_"Sir, we found a blood trail and no evidence of a body.  We believe they're alive and on the move."_

"Okay, Cunningham, coordinate with the other teams and move in their direction.  If we do this right, we'll converge on his approximate location at the same time.  White is down there somewhere and he'll be the loose cannon.  It's highly probably that he found what you did.  Proceed with extreme caution.  Cunningham?"

_"Sir."_

"I want that soldier in my protective custody."

"We'll do what it takes Colonel.  You can count on us." 

"I have no doubt."

~ ~ ~

Alec's eyes snapped open and in one swift move pulled his gun out and sat up against the wall with a grunt of pain.

"Someone's coming."

"Shit Alec! You scared the crap out of me."  Mole clutched his chest in an effort to calm down his heart.  "Are you sure?  I didn't hear anything."  Suddenly alert, he let his eyes scan the area.

"We have…to move."  Alec struggled to stand and failed falling back against the wall.  "Damn it." His breathing came in gasps as he tried again to rise.

"Just hang on a sec."  Mole grabbed the pack and swung in on his shoulder, then reached down and pulled Alec into a standing position, supporting him as before.  "Delta Force?"

"No," came Alec's shaky voice, "One person…only hear one…has to…be White.  Tunnel…to the right.  Go, go!" Mole and Alec began to move swiftly toward the next junction.

"White! It sounds like White? How could you possibly know it's him?"  

"Instinct…and the …fact that he…likes…to kill with…no no one around."  Alec looked intently at Mole as he spoke.  

"Annie, crap! That son of a bitch.  We should have let Joshua break him in two."

"I agree, but wishful thinking…won't help now.  Need to…keep moving.  Left here, two clicks, then out."

~ ~ ~

"We have barricades in place between the sector points.  It's causing backups in traffic all over the area.  McKinley will be tied up for some time."

Colonel Foster looked up from the map and nodded his approval.  "That was fast, I appreciate it Lieutenant.  Your men are very efficient," Foster pointed to a place on the map, "My men are converging at this point, proximately four blocks from our present location.  I have Gamble moving in that direction already.  Have your men who are holding the perimeter move out to these areas here, here and here.   I believe they will be surfacing there," Foster pointed to a specific alley that afforded a variety of cover and ways out through a series of small stores that were interconnected like a small mall, "It's where I would go to increase my chance of escape.  It's also a very good place to get trapped by an ambush, but it's the best chance they have, as I see it."

"Makes sense to me."

"I'd like to have some kind of medical assistance ready in the area.   It needs to be someone that will have no problem working on them, if need be."

"I know which paramedic units we can have on hand.  They do what I tell them to."

"Good! If White is on their tale the situation will become very dangerous very fast.  We'll have to proceed with extreme caution.  494 is a soldier, but he's also a wounded animal, very capable of killing.  If he feels cornered…"  Foster just let the point sink in.

" Colonel." 

"Go ahead."

"Sir, there's heavy gunfire up ahead.  Looks like we found them and so did White." 

"What is your location?"

"We are two blocks short of our expected objective."

"Move forward with caution.  You know what to do."

"Hu yah Sir." 

Foster turned to Clemente, "Let's move."

~ ~ ~

Mole raised his arm and fired several rounds at White.  At the same time he shifted his weight and lifted Alec off the floor and pivoted, putting himself between Alec and White.   As White fell back, he moved them toward the next junction.

Alec shook his head trying desperately to keep from passing out.  Now was not the time to become deadweight.  

"What grid number is this?"  Alec grunted when Mole shoved him against the wall.   He was having trouble staying focused, his breathing came in great gulps as if he'd just run a marathon.

"Don't know.  Hang on!" Mole yelled, as he crouched and fired.  

"Give it up now 494 and maybe I'll let you die quickly," White shouted.

Dust and rock burst from the wall right by Alec's head.  

"You know that just really…touches my heart, White.  Stick your head out and…let me show you how much that means to me."  Taking aim, he returned fire, forcing White to take cover.  "Aw now see there…you moved," Alec continued, disappointment in his voice.   He and Mole both laughed at the string of expletives that reached their ears.

Mole craned to see the grid number, but it didn't do any good.  "I can't see the grid number from here." 

"Doesn't matter…anyway…we'll have to go ...up here."

"Oh Yeah! How the hell are we going to climb up there with White using us for target practice.  That damn manhole cover is in the middle of the junction.  The ladders don't even reach it."

"We're not.  You are. You can make it over to the cover by swinging from that pipe."  Alec dropped out a clip and reloaded with precision, then fired several more rounds.  "Son of a bitch keeps ducking."

"What you do now could make it easy or hard on 452," White implored.

"Oh no!" Mole replied to Alec.  Completely ignoring White's ranting.  "No more staying behind by you.  We go together or not at all and we go up somewhere else. "  Mole leaned forward and almost lost his head to a bullet. "Shit!"

"I don't intend to stay behind, Two!"  Alec spoke strongly, his voice in full soldier mode so Mole would not mistake his command as a request.  "I'll cover you, then surprise White with…a couple of unexpected gifts," he held the grenades up for Mole to see, "I toss number one and you…go up top.   It'll either get him…or at least hold him off long enough for me to toss number two…and make a jump for it.  Right…into your tender lovin' hands, then pull me up."  Alec swiped the sweat from his face with his arm, his hands were trembling slightly as he leaned his head back against the wall.  They didn't have much cover, just a niche in the wall.   

"You expect me to catch your sorry ass in midair?  Do I look like some kind of trapeze artist to you?"

"Yeah, and today we…we're the flying freaks, don't miss."  Alec stared hard at Mole.   

"You my friend are certifiable."

"What…does that…make you?"  Alec couldn't help the maniacal grin that spread across his face, as he tossed the first grenade.

"Stupid!" 

End of Chapter 10 – tbc  Ain't I a stinker                                 Review, review, review...please with sugar kisses on top


	11. Alive?

Chapter 11 – On The Run

A/N:  Gotta thank my little Pesty – She was so busy moving and getting settled and still took the time to get this beta'd for me.  Whadda gal.  Gotta love her.

Also this chapter is dedicated to my LBN.  You know who you are.  Months and months ago we joked in chat about doing this for her and Kiwichick.  Already did Kiwi.  This should be very obvious to some. : )  Okay, on with the story.

For the first time since they'd left terminal City Dix moved with a swiftness he didn't know he possessed.  He had news for Max and for once it didn't have to be bad news, well most of it wasn't.  He'd been monitoring various radio frequencies in the hope that they would get intel on what was happening with Alec and Mole.  'Finally…" his mind screamed.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" Max asked, holding the baby close to her. She smiled at the small beautiful face as the baby's wide curious eyes intently studied her. 

"Not definitely yet.  There is something that stuck in my mind, but…" Gem hesitated not sure she should broach this.

Max looked up at her, "But what?"

"It's just…" Gem shook her head and looked away from Max, "I didn't want to upset you."

"I don't understand, why would I be upset?"

Gem lowered her eyes, "A name…it was sort of Alec's idea."

"Alec's?" Max swallowed at the lump in her throat.

"See I shouldn't have said anything.  Now you're sad again and you seemed so content a moment ago."

"No, no, please I don't mind.  Talking about him…it sometimes helps."

Gem finally looked directly at Max and saw a look of pleading, like she was trying so hard to grab on to something, anything that was there.

"He'd come over to me shortly before we implemented our plan for evacuation.  Actually picked her up and held her, a lot like you are now.   He didn't say anything he just stared at her in complete fascination.  He touched her face and ran a finger around her ear, took her hand in his and seemed to marvel at its size.  Then he held her foot in his hand and rubbed the bottom of it with his thumb and laughed when she scrunched it up as if it tickled."  Gem's face glowed at the memory and a smile graced her face as she spoke.

Max's expression mimicked hers and gone was the lump in her throat, replaced instead with a feeling of…of what? Contentment? Pride? Perhaps love?  Max wasn't sure.  All she knew was listening to Gem speak of Alec in this context both surprised her and made her feel good inside.  Good inside because she'd finally allowed herself to see the real man he was inside and not what reminded her of all the things she hated.  Instead she found herself hanging on to every word from Gem's mouth.

"He looked up at me with this big goofy smile and told me she was the most precious thing he'd ever seen.  He said she was as precious as a Jewel like I was a Gem.  I just laughed at him because it was such a corny remark and he clutched his heart in mock hurt."  Gem and Max both laughed at the thought of puppy dog eyes and pouting lips.

Gem turned more serious, "Later on what he'd said kept repeating itself over and over in my mind and I thought…well…do you think I could call her Jewel?"

Max blinked and widened her eyes at her question, then looked intently down at the baby.  Bending down she kissed her forehead, as the lump returned to her throat.  A single tear escaped and made it's way slowly down her cheek, "It's perfect."  Jewel squirmed a bit and cooed. "I think she agrees," Max laughed. 

"Max! MAX!"  Dix hollered. 

Max handed Gem the baby and moved quickly toward Dix who slid to a halt and bent over, his hands on his thighs supporting himself as he took in great gulps of air.  "…"

"What? What?" Fear invaded her voice.

Dix stood up straight still breathing hard, "He's alive, Max.  They're alive.  Oh God! I can't breathe."

Moving a hand on his arm, Max helped support him, "Say it again Dix.  I need to hear it again."

Dix smiled, "They're alive, don't know what kind of shape they're in, but definitely alive." 

Letting go of Dix, Max rushed forward in search of Biggs.  Finding him with Joshua and Logan she issued a command, "Dix says they're alive.  Assemble a team and meet me in the radio area with Dix and Luke to strategize.  We're going after them." 

Biggs stopped her progress by grabbing her arms.  "Max…"

"Don't! Don't even say it.  I know I have to lead, but I'm doing this."

"A good leader delegates.  You can't leave all these people here without someone to…"

Max pushed past him, "I'm going, Biggs." But she was stopped again, by a larger presence.

"Biggs is right. Little Fella has to stay.  Alec would want you to stay," Joshua pleaded as he raised his arm and    spread it out away from them, "For us." Her eyes followed and met with the faces of all those around them, fear evident in their expressions.   There were so many of them.  She shut her eyes and turned away.

"Let go Joshua.  Get out of my way."  But he held her there.

"He's right, Max," Logan's calm voice added.  He stepped as close as he dared.  "You can't keep trying to do it all yourself.  Biggs and the other X-5's have been trained all their lives for these type of operations.  You have to start trusting your people to do what's needed and they need to know you trust them to do it."

Max stopped trying to push past Joshua and just stood completely still her eyes downcast.  Her mind screamed at her that they were right, but her heart…just hurt.   Raising her head, she moved into Joshua's arms laying her head on his chest.  Biggs stepped closer, but remained quiet.  Turning her head she looked imploringly at Biggs.  Tears ran down her face unbidden now, "Bring him back, Biggs," her voice quiet and reserved, "Bring him back."

He stood at attention and nodded, then left to assemble his team.

"What the hell are you waiting for? Throw the damn grenade, already!" Mole yelled just before ducking from shots that pinged into the ceiling around him.  Unfortunately, the first grenade hadn't maimed White as they'd hoped, but as planned, it did allow Mole to scramble his way up and out of the sewer.

"Nag, nag, nag, are you sure you're a soldier?"  Alec pulled the pin and was about the toss the grenade when a series of shots smacked into the wall all around him causing dust and debris to break off and hit him.  It wasn't hard enough to cause harm per se, but it was just hard enough for him to lose his grip on the grenade.  All three men watched as it bounced and rolled out in front of Alec about midway between him and White.

 "Oh Shit!" were the words that issued forth from three points and all three reacted simultaneously. White jumped back into a roll and barely made it around a corner junction while Mole braced himself and reached down as far as possible from the manhole.  Alec turned toward Mole and stepped forward into a crouch and with a determined yell launched himself into the air, arms outstretched.  Their hands connected at their forearms with a loud slap.  Veins bulged and grunts could be heard as Mole pulled with all his might and just as Alec's body barely begun to emerge from the manhole the grenade went off.  In a split second of time Mole let go of Alec's hands and grabbed him under his shoulders pulling hard.  Once clear of the hole they rolled several feet away and came to a stop against a dumpster, Mole on top.  Both lay unmoving for what seemed like an eternity.

Muffled sounds came from beneath Mole.  Lifting himself slightly, he reached into his pocket.  Pulling the stub he called a cigar out and with a satisfied smile, stuffed it in his mouth. 

"Did you say something?" he asked in a nonchalant manner.

Alec face was just inches from Moles, he narrowed his eyes in disgust and in a strained voice repeated himself.

"That better be…your gun I'm feelin'."

Mole merely chewed his cigar and wiggled his eyebrows, but before he could reply, Alec clenched his teeth and with a loud grunt, shoved Mole off him.  Then he collapsed back from the effort, with his arms stretched out and moaned from the pain that moved in waves along the length of his body.  "Shit head."

"Hey," Mole replied with mock hurt, "What's with the all this foul language?"

"Must be the company," Alec barely replied with a tired breath.

Ignoring Alec for the moment, Mole sat up and patting his pockets until he found the object of his desire.  Flipping the top of the lighter he ignited what was left of his cigar.  Taking a few puffs he sighed with contentment and then looked over at Alec who lay outstretched with his eyes closed.  Smoke curled up from his pant legs, but Mole could see no visible signs of injury.  So reaching over he began to feel along his legs for any broken bones.

With the speed that only an X-5 series could show, Alec snatched his gun up and held it to Mole's…cigar.

"Move your hand up any higher and I blow that stogie right out of your mouth."

Mole instantly stopped and slowly removed his hand.   Alec just laughed and let his hand with the gun flop back to the ground.  "Sap."

"Well that's original."

"Fits," was Alec's only reply, "I go with what works."

"Hmpf!"  Looking back toward the manhole Mole moved cautiously toward it.  There had been no sounds of pursuit. 

"You think it got him?" He asked.

"No," Alec rolled slowly onto his side and with effort and few grunts, propped himself on an elbow, "He made it…to a junction.  He'll surface elsewhere.  We need to…move."  But instead of rising he collapsed back to the ground. 

Alec never saw the look of concern on Mole's face; he only heard his words. 

"This is no time for a nap."

"God, what I wouldn't give to be laying on one of our smelly bug infested mattresses with Joshua's wonderfully holey wool sweater draped over me," Alec sighed.

Mole paused in thought, "Yeah," came his melancholy reply, "Well enough wishful thinking, let's go." 

Standing quickly, Mole jerked Alec up.  Stumbling a bit, he leaned heavily on Mole, his head falling forward into Mole's chest.  Mole stood for a moment holding Alec upright until he was able to get his bearings, while looking up and down the alley for any sign of White or soldiers.  He frowned as he stared for a moment toward the street.  It had just dawned on him that the two grenades going off should have alerted some type of activity, but there was no activity at all, yet this was supposed to be a busy section of town.  "There's no one on the streets ahead."

Alec slowly raised his head and looked around.   Realization hit him like a hammer and he felt his heart beat faster because of it. 

"They've moved their perimeter back.  We came up…too soon…Took too much time," in his voice was the sound of defeat, his shoulders slumped in disappointment and his knees seemed to give out.

"Oh no you don't," Mole responded as he pulled Alec back up, "We keep going until we get out or die trying."

Alec looked up into Mole's face and opened his mouth to speak, but his words were never allowed to come out.

"No!" Mole said firmly.  "We've already had this conversation.  I. Am. Not. Leaving. You. Behind.  Besides, I value my life, if I show up without you, she'll kill me anyway."

"Kinda gives me…a warm fuzzy feeling inside knowing that."

"That's your fever, pretty boy," Mole replied.  Then pulling Alec's right arm over his head they moved toward the end of the alley and for whatever awaited them there. 

"Here," Dix pointed to a section of Seattle south of TC, "From what I heard over the radio, Colonel Foster expects to intercept them here." 

"He's obviously moved his perimeter back to include this whole sector.  Besides soldiers there are sector police holding back onlookers and news cameras," Luke added.

"What about our frequency, anything from Mole or Alec?" Biggs asked.

"No," Dix replied, "We know they're alive, so we figure the coms must have been damaged in the explosions." 

"We know Clemente is in the area overseeing his part of it, mostly keeping the public and news cameras back.  Three of the Delta teams went into the tunnels and began a grid search.  The fourth team is above ground with Foster.  Um…he sent one high Max." Luke said, with his eyes barely moving in her direction. 

"That's standard procedure," Max said, her face a mask of calm from what it was a few moments before.  She was through crying.  That was not what Alec needed.  He needed for her to do what was necessary for the success of this mission.   Who would have ever thought that one, Max Guevera, would allow herself to be so influenced by that pain in the ass.  That she would want to do what she knew would make him proud.   No matter what happened, she was determined not to fail him.  She would at least have that, if he didn't make it home. 

"It'll be impossible to reach him…them," she corrected, "before the interception.  We're just going to have to hope that Foster follows through with his orders and apprehends them and that those two idiots don't do anything to get themselves killed," said Max, sounding more like what they all knew and loved.

"There's a police station in this sector that is the most probable place at this point to hold them," Biggs said,  "After entering the City here, we'll separate into twos and converge at this point just outside the cordoned off area.  There's an old warehouse here we'll use for our little reunion.  From that point we'll be in the best position to do recon and determine our next move." 

"Logan, I want you to go with them," Max continued, "Get to Father's house, use the equipment there to hack into the police system.  It'll give us a better line of where they take them."

"I'm sure I'll be able to get a floor plan of the station and tap into the security system.   I should be able to keep you up to date on the location of guards and a possible way out," Logan interjected.

"Good, are we ready?" Max asked, but before a reply she noticed Dix and Luke looking at each other sideways and moving a bit nervously on their feet.  "What?  What didn't you tell us?"

Dix looked around nervously and just blurted it out, "White's there.  Apparently he went rogue and…well he's there."

Max's stunned expression dug into Dix like a knife.  Luke just stepped a bit behind him looking everywhere, but at her. 

For a long moment no one spoke, letting this information sink in.  Then Max's face took on a cold dark look.  One not even Logan had ever seen before.  She turned slowly to Biggs.

"Kill him."

"Max you can't…" Logan pleaded, but his words halted at the sight of Max's hand coming up in front of his face.  Her eyes never left Biggs face.

"Go."

A very cold maniacal smile formed on Biggs' lips, he stepped forward and put his hand on Max's shoulder.  But the words that came from his mouth were not for her.  "Time to go Loggie."  With that he turned and left.

Logan looked apprehensively at Max for only a second before following him out.

Lt. John Gamble waited on the sidelines until they pinpointed the location of the transgenics.   Once he had that knowledge he would quickly move into position.  He trusted the Colonel not to use his skills unless they were left with no choice.  

Colonel Foster and Clemente moved along with Team One placing spotters at various strategic locations.  Team Two formed a perimeter encompassing six square blocks covering the radius where they knew that White and 494 would have to surface.  Once they had an exact location, they could converge on that location and hopefully take them into custody without doing anything drastic.  From their position they heard two muffled successive explosions.

"Grenades," Foster informed Clemente. 

Ramon Clemente watched and listened as Foster was contacted by a spotter.  The suspects were three blocks from their present position and the Colonel issued orders for the teams to converge in that location.  White was spotted nearby moving quickly.  They would have to hurry.  

Colonel Foster knew that John was listening.

"John you need to move quickly and get into position.  With White on the scene," Foster hesitated, "I'm afraid it's going to get ugly."

"Already on the move sir."  Gamble jogged in the direction of his objective.  He had staked out the area thoroughly earlier and knew exactly where he wanted to be. 

"Team One, move in.  Team Four, you are right on their tail, follow them out with caution.  Team Three surface and converge with Team One and Two.  Proceed with extreme caution, gentlemen." 

Foster looked intently at Clemente, they both knew the next few minutes would be crucial.  "Where's McKinley at this point?"

"He's made it through several of the sector points, but the way my men have the last two tied up, it'll be at least an hour before he can get through."

"Good, this will all be over long before that and hopefully we'll have them in protective custody."

"I sure as hell hope so."

"Let's move," Foster ordered. 

Mole and Alec hesitated at the end of the alley.  Alec leaned with his back against the building taking advantage of the break to catch his breath while Mole moved cautiously to the end, his gun drawn and ready.  The rush he'd felt earlier was waning and he could feel his body wanting to just give in to the exhaustion and pain he was feeling.  He shut his eyes and took some slow deep breaths in the hope it would somehow revive him.  

Sudden shock to Alec's senses caused him to jump with a start at the sound of gunfire.  His eye widened with horror at the sight of Mole's head snapping to the side as blood splayed across the area.  Some reaching Alec's face and neck, but he never felt it.  He only stared and watched in shock as his friend's body slammed against the wall of the building and quickly crumpled to the ground.    The stillness of the body threatened to yank his heart out. 

"No…no," words that screamed out in his own mind, were too hushed to be heard by anyone else.

"I've made a decision today, 494," came White's harsh words, "It won't be quick for you, like it was for him."

Alec's wide eyes never looked up at White. He couldn't tear his eyes away, but it wasn't the body laying so still that he saw in his mind, it was the course of the last 24 hours that flashed and the bond that had formed, only to be ripped away.  Something inside him snapped.  Alec's eyes dilated black, taking on an animalistic hue.  His face became a chilling mask of total unconcern for anything, completely devoid of any emotion.   Ever so slowly X5-494 stood up and moved away from the wall to raise piercing eyes to White, hands clenched into fists at his side.

A sneer appeared on his lips and words spilled out, "You don't know what a slow death is White, but today…today you will learn."

White took a short uncertain step back when he saw what stood before him.   In his dealings with 494, he'd never seen this part of him, but confidence was something White did not lack.  Holstering his gun, White stepped forward into a fighting position.

"We'll see who does the learning," White bit back, but Alec noted that it lacked the confidence it initially had.

"Come on…you want me…come on."

White obliged by rushing forward, Alec sidestepped and grabbed White's oncoming shoulder.  With a grunt he shoved him into the building wall using White's momentum to his advantage.  As White came up and turned, Alec's right fist slammed into his face with a satisfying crack sending him back into the wall.   Alec stepped back to view his handy work and resumed a fighting stance as White came back up again.

"What's the matter White? Losing your touch?  Can't handle a wounded abomination?" 

To a trained soldier control was everything.  Alec realized a long time ago in dealing with White that his Achilles heel was his temper.  Keeping White's emotions off kilter, forcing him to make mistakes was Alec's only hope of wiping this evil off the face of the earth. 

"Seeing you in pain," White replied with a sneer, "only heightens the joy of watching you die." 

White jumped, kicking out at Alec's head.  Alec easily blocked the kick and stepped in with a flat-fisted punch to White's chest sending him back against the wall.  But instead of stepping back, Alec moved in and delivered several quick blows to White's head and body.  White grabbed Alec into a clench and quickly raised his fists, bringing them down on Alec's back, sending him to his knees.  Alec grabbed White around the knees and with clenched teeth and a grunt lifted White up in the air and over sending him to the ground flat on his back.   Looking down on White with contempt on his face, Alec goaded him more.

"You seem to be having a little trouble standing, White.  A sign of too much in-breeding, I'd say," Alec sneered.

White came at him like a charging bull and they locked in fierce combat.  Totally unaware that Delta Force had moved in.

Clemente watched in fascination and horror at the fight in front of him.  Never had he seen two men trade blows in such quick succession.  Neither would back off the other, leaving no clear shot for Foster's men.  Colonel Foster was adamant about trying to apprehend X5-494 alive and since White had gone rogue his orders were to take him down, but their proximity to each other made that impossible.  Colonel Foster was moving into a position that would allow him to gain their attention and afford them the opportunity to stop this fight.

 It was also incomprehensible to Clemente that injured as he was, this transgenic was even able to stand, let alone fight.  Lt. Gamble's words came back to his mind, _'He was created to be a superior soldier.  His wounds, nor the pain would be allowed to interfere with the completion of a mission.  They were taught to push it aside.  Short of death, they're virtually unstoppable.'_

Now both men stood toe to toe, their faces a bloody mess as it poured from nose and mouth. Each had a hand on the others throat locked to each other as they moved in a weird dance for the advantage.  Slamming and moving each other into a dumpster and then a wall, neither one even remotely showing signs of relinquishing their hold.  Grunts of effort arose and reached the ears of those around them.  Foster had already, several times, issued orders for them both to stand down, but was ignored or not heard through the rage that seemed to engulf them.  Then suddenly everything changed as 494 staggered from a series of blows to his side that was already dark with blood. 

As Alec stumbled yet again, White grabbed his shirt in a fist and physically lifted him up and over, slamming him into the ground.  Then he himself staggered back and it was at that point that Foster's words reached his ears and he froze. 

Alec rolled awkwardly away while trying to gain his breath back.   The pain that ran through him was almost blinding, but as he came to a stop, the sight of his friend so near and still moved him to one last action.   Reaching with the speed of an X5, Alec grabbed the Special Forces knife he'd procured for Mole from it's sheath and with a roar launched himself from the ground at White.  Grabbing his neck with one hand and shoving the knife to it's hilt into White with such force that his body left the ground.  He slammed them both into the wall one last time, withdrew the knife and dropped White to the ground.  Alec faltered a step as he stood above White's body, his breath coming in deep painful gasps.  Flipping the knife in his hand, Alec dropped to his knees with a raised hand intent on delivering the finishing blow.

"You are ordered to STAND DOWN, 494!"

Foster's commanding voice finally reached a part of Alec's mind and he didn't move.  His eyes darted quickly around him, realizing for the first time that he was completely surrounded by Delta Force.   Ever so slowing Alec moved his hand out to the side, but did not relinquish the weapon, instead he stood and turned his face to Colonel Foster. 

Without realizing it Clemente took an involuntary step back at what he saw in the dark intense eyes of this transgenic.  His mind realized the full extent of what this boy could become given the right circumstances and it was frightening. 

Foster, however, took a step closer and Alec moved into a ready stance, his eyes moving from one soldier to another around him.  He showed no signs of wanting to end this.

Clemente didn't think it was possible, but Colonel Foster's voice took on a stronger authoritative tone in his effort to reach into his mind.

"Your mission is complete 494.  Your unit is safe.  Stand down."

But 494 didn't change his posture, instead he frowned at the words, confusion on his face. 

"Not over, promised," his voice deep with emotion.

Foster stepped closer still, and Alec reacted by facing him completely.  At that same moment Foster's hand came up and signaled his men to take no action.

"Promised? Who'd you promise, 494?"

"Alec…I told you…my name…my name is Alec." 

Foster's voice changed instinctively to one that might reflect a Father to his Son in an attempt to somehow reach his confused mind.

"Who'd you promise, Alec?"

They all saw as Alec's eyes, so black in their intensity, began to change back to normal and take on a more dazed look.  They shifted from Foster to look somewhere past all of them at something or someone no one else saw, his body swayed dangerously.  The strength they'd witnessed was waning and Clemente could see him begin to sag.

"Max," came his soft reply, "promised Max…I have to…to go.  She made me promise."

"What you need to do is lower your weapon," understanding had reached Foster's face, "Look around you son." 

Alec's eyes focused and moved around again at the soldiers then back to Foster.  He was completely surrounded, there was no way out.

"You can't make it," Foster continued, knowing he had his full attention now.  "Lower your weapon and stand down."

No reaction.

Foster sighed, "Don't make me do this."  He signaled his men who moved in closer.  Alec stiffened.

John Gamble remained absolutely ready from his position.  Their com links on voice activation had allowed him to hear every word said.  His heart sank at the words that reached his ears from Colonel Foster.  "Show him John."

Lt. Gamble took aim.

Alec couldn't help the slight tremble in his limbs at Fosters words.  He knew…he knew even before the red dot from a laser site appeared, what those words meant.   The red spot slowly made it's way up his body and he barely held back the bile that rose in his throat when it paused where his heart would be.  Then at a slower rate continued an upward course.  Alec knew the small dot would come to rest on his forehead.  He dared not twitch a muscle.

Foster spoke more slowly and precisely, "Son, lower your weapon."

A clipped laugh escaped Alec's lips and his eyes welled up, "Son?"  He asked incredulously, his stance showing continued signs of wear. 

This time Colonel Foster signaled his men to lower their weapons and came right up to him.  Reaching up, he gently placed his hand on Alec's knife welding one.  "It's over," Foster whispered, "It's over."  Foster took the knife in his possession.  "Get a medic over here, now," he commanded, as Alec went to his knees.

Clemente never realized he'd been holding his breath until he saw 494 look at the body of his teammate, then close his eyes and tilt his head back slightly.  He'd jumped slightly at the strangled cry that tore at his own insides and would not soon forget the look of utter defeat that took over the face of this young soldier.   God he hated this.

Alec felt as if his heart had been wrenched from inside his chest.  He'd failed and he could not stop those words from circling his mind over and over.  The sight of Mole's head snapping to the side, his body on the filthy ground, blood pooling near his head, Max's face imploring him, forcing him to make a promise he couldn't keep.  Wrapping his arms around himself, he slowly leaned forward until his forehead touched the ground.

"Forgive me, Max," he begged, his voice breaking. 

All he wanted now was to let the darkness take him over.   Sweet oblivion would be a welcome respite.

No one saw it when White moved.  All attention had centered on Alec and it was believed that he was completely incapacitated, possibly dead, but he wasn't dead and moved to take his gun from his holster.  Determination and anger fueled him, he would get away with 494 or he would at least have the satisfaction of knowing 494 would never return to his beloved Max.

Absolute surprise invaded Alec's thoughts and then pain as he was jerked upright with a gun pressed deeply into his temple.  He was unable to hold back the cry that emerged and was unsure what was happening.  He started to pull away when a hand gripped him around the throat, but the voice he heard told him all he needed to know and sent an unwanted shiver down his body.

"Don't even think about trying anything, Colonel." 

White pulled Alec to an upright position against his chest and moved to position the building wall behind them, effectively using Alec as a shield.  

"Tell your men to back off and move away.  You too Colonel."  He emphasized his position by digging the barrel of his gun harder, causing Alec to grunt in pain.  "I know you want him alive, so back up."

"What is it you think you're going to accomplish here, White?"  Foster asked, his voice stern.

"It's not what I think, it's what I know.  I know what your goals are Colonel.  I know you want 494 alive.  Move. Your. Men. Back."

Foster turned to his teams and nodded for them to move back.  Before turning back he spoke, "John?"

"Sorry Colonel, I can't hit him without getting 494."

Once the teams moved back a short distance, Foster addressed White. 

"What do you want?"

"Oh you know the routine, a car, a clear route out of here.  The usual," his voice flippant.

"Well we're going to have to come up with another solution, how about you let him go and I let you live." Foster countered. 

White laughed jerking Alec up higher and cutting off his air completely for a few moments.

Alec's vision narrowed dangerously and he clawed at the vise around his throat to no avail.  He could barely hear the words going back and forth.  It didn't even matter.  He knew White wasn't going to let him go no matter what was negotiated.  White was just playing a game and in the end Alec would pay the price along with White.   Something had to give and Alec knew what needed to be done so he shifted slightly against White when his hand loosened enough for Alec to finally take in air.  Moving his hand from White's around his throat he slowly lowered it to his shoulder, then deliberately glared at Foster, whose eyes shifted to his.   Alec tapped a particular spot and then let his hand drop limp at his side. 

Foster averted his eyes and scrubbed a hand across his face.  Turning he placed his hands on his hips and dropped his head in disgust.

 "John."

"I saw sir."

Foster swallowed hard, "Do it."

Less than a split second later blood blossomed from Alec's shoulder as the bullet passed through and hit White.  The force of which threw them both back hard causing White to let go.  As Alec fell away a second shot hit White in the head ending his reign of terror permanently. 

Foster moved forward and caught Alec before he hit the ground and gently lowered him the rest of the way.  Clemente was right there with him, never having moved back with the teams.   His mind completely in shock over what had just happened. 

"What the hell did you do?" He fairly screamed.

"White was never going to let him go.  The situation had to be extinguished.   It was the only way to save him.  The only way he knew we could."

"By shooting him down.  My God!"

"I don't have time for this Lieutenant Clemente.  Get your paramedics here, now!"  Foster ordered as he removed his jacket and placed it behind Alec's shoulder, then placing his hand on the wound in front, he pressed down hard.

Alec was beyond feeling anything anymore.  White would never be able to hurt anyone he loved again, never.  A wane smile formed on his lips, he'd done something right.  All the sounds and movements around him took on a surreal existence.   Foster's face came into his view, but pleadings barely penetrated his mind.  He was so tired…so tired.  His eyes fluttered close and finally the protection of oblivion took him in it's hold.  

"Alec, son.  You hang on."  Foster realized that his words went unheard.  He moved slightly allowing the medics access, but he refused to relinquish his hold completely, moving unruly hair from his forehead and resting his hand there.   Colonel Foster had a strong connection with all the men under his command and he felt the need to let Alec know he too wasn't alone, that he was protected.

Clemente had ordered Brooks to ready the police station, then turned to look around him in a daze as the teams secured the alley and took care of White's body.  He turned to watch as Lt. Cunningham moved to the body of the transhuman.   Clemente stepped over to get a better look.  He cringed when the soldier turned the body onto it's back.   He looked closely at this lizardlike man and paused.

"Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?" he queried.

Cunningham looked up at him with a smile, "Yes sir, you are."  Then looking over at the Colonel's position he continued. "Sir, he's alive." 

But Cunningham's smile quickly left his face and he tapped Clemente's shoulder to get his attention and pointed. There was no way things could get any worse than they were, or so he thought.  Just entering the area was the limo carrying Senator McKinley. 

End of Chapter 11

A/N:  Fooled ya didn't I?  I have the same rule about Mole as I do about Alec. Hee. I have a lot of rules, "Don't I Roon?" ; )

Oh and if you're thinking "My God! She shot him again." Well…yeah I did.  I thought 'should I or shouldn't I' and then 'What the hell.'  No more bullets, though.  Yeah…sure…no more.  Hmmmm?  HIT THE LINK ALREADY AND REVIEW!

LINK!


	12. Don't Care

A/N:  This is unbeta'd cuz my sweet pesty beta has been absolutely swamped lately.  So we decided I might as well post it anyway.  So all the mistakes are mine.  Enjoy and don't forget to let me know what you think. BHG

Chapter 12 – On The Run

"Medic!" Cunningham hollered and one of their own team medics came forward to assess the situation.   He released the pressure on the transhuman head wound as Corporal Davis took over.

"The bullet grazed him pretty good.  Probably concussed.  He's already stopped bleeding and he's gonna have one hell of a headache when he wakes up," Corporal Davis said.

"Well don't do anything fancy, just patch him up.  We're going to have to move fast." 

Cunningham didn't wait for a reply before he rose and walked over to where Colonel Foster was with 494.   Squatting on his haunches, he took his first good look at the soldier and winced, he was a bloody mess.  

"How's he doing, sir?"

"Not good.  What's our situation?"

"The transhuman will be ready for transport in a few minutes.  We've cordoned off this area more tightly.  Jackson reported that the media found a way through our initial perimeter and have had a unit filming.  They worked their way over to that building across the way.  Apparently one reporter and cameraman actually filmed part of the fight and us taking White out.  Do you want us to confiscate the film?"

"No, let them keep it." 

"Sir?" 

"You heard me, let them keep it.  I want it aired and keep McKinley behind the line.  I don't want him anywhere near these soldiers until we have them in a controlled environment."

"Yes, Sir." 

Foster's attention returned to Alec who seemed to be in some distress.  He was slipping in and out of consciousness now and his breathing was becoming very erratic.  From the touch of his skin, he was burning up.  The paramedics had worked quickly and efficiently dealing with his most immediate needs.  They'd quickly and efficiently removed his flak jacket and shirt.  Placed pressure bandages on his shoulder and side.  Two IV lines had been inserted with lines wide open to increase his volume as quickly as possible.  His vital signs were all over the chart, though.  Blood pressure was dangerously low, temperature unreasonably high and his heartbeat was fast and thready.  A normal human would have already succumbed by now.   It didn't make any sense to the medics. 

"How much longer before he can be transported?" Foster asked.

"We're about there, Colonel.  I can deal with his less serious wounds in the bus, but I'm not sure what else to do for him.  Normally we would try to stabilize him more before transport, but I just don't know what stable for him is.  At any rate, we should be able to transport him to Harbor Lights pretty quickly."

Jan Stanton had been a paramedic for 10 years, but all her experience didn't prepare her for this.  While she did her job effectively and quickly, she was frustrated because of her lack of knowledge in helping this young man.  When Lt. Clemente asked her to help out, she let her own unfounded fears tell her no, but when she witnessed what happened here, her heart won out in it's need to comfort and give aid.  She was totally confused after seeing what happened as to who the enemy was.  Her partner, Ted, had refused to help and let his fears get the best of him.   She gave him a quick glance, as he stood by the ambulance and he quickly looked away in shame, but not enough shame to make him move forward and help.  Questions and doubts flew through her mind, but the answers would have to wait.  She pushed them back and kept her attention on her job.

"Not Harbor Lights.  We'll be transporting him to a secure location 5 blocks from here at Station 405."

Jan looked up sharply from her patient.

"A police station! He needs a doctor.  He needs a hospital," Jan's voice rose with each word.  She was utterly appalled.

"You can take care of him from that location, while in contact with a doctor."

Jan stammered at that.  "He may have injuries that I'm not qualified to deal with.  There could be internal damage from the beating he's taken.  This lower bullet wound is close enough to have perforated his small intestine."

"That bullet would occurred hours ago, if it has caused severe damage he would have succumbed long before now.  No hospital.  You can keep track of his vitals and go from there."

"I don't even know what's normal for him.  His vitals are all over the place now.  Infection has set in.  He needs a hospital, antibiotics," Jan tried to reason, "I'll get him ready for transport, but that's it.  I won't be responsible…  I can't…I can't." shaking her head adamantly.

"Once we're at the secure location," Colonel Foster continued, ignoring her rant, "I'll allow you certain information we have concerning their physiology.  That'll be your reference."

She took a quick glance to where the other…whatever…and shook sat the responsibility Colonel Foster was trying to lay on her.

"I'm not a doctor," she protested again.

"But you'll be in touch with one and whatever you do will be on his head not yours."

A moan caught her attention and she looked into the pained hazel-green eyes of her patient as they fluttered open and looked directly at her.  They were the eyes of a frightened boy in pain, not a dangerous soldier.  Her determination deflated and her heart took over as she cupped his face with her hand.

"It's okay.  I'm here to help you.  I'm Jan, a paramedic.  You're going to be okay.  I promise."

"Don't…care…" his pain filled voice.

 "Well I do.  I'm Jan and I'm going to take care…" his eyes glazed over and closed again before she finished her sentence.  Jan sighed heavily and paused before resuming her ministrations. 

"Damn it," she whispered, then spoke directly to the Colonel. "Give me two minutes and we're ready." 

"Good girl."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," her only sarcastic reply, then under her breath, "Ramon, you are going to owe me big time."

"As soon as he's in your bus, we'll lead you to the location.  A Lt. John Gamble will be riding with you in the back along with one of his men.   It's for your protection and his."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she waved her hand nonchalantly at him never looking up from her patient.

Foster couldn't help smiling as he stepped toward his Lieutenant.  John had just crossed the perimeter, his rifle flung over his shoulder and was headed straight for the Colonel. 

"John, as soon as their ready for transport I want you in there with one more.  No one gets near them without my express authorization.  Understand?"

"Yes, sir."  Lt. Gamble's eyes shifted to 494, a look of pained disgust on his face.  "How…um…how is he, sir?" he stammered a bit.

"He's a mess, but holding his own.  You did good, John."

"Right…sure."  Gamble looked away at nothing in particular.

"You saved his life, John."

"Did I?  For what?  For McKinley to take away and exterminate."

"Do you trust me John?"

"With my life, sir."

Foster stepped in close to John forcing him to look directly at him.  "McKinley will not get him." 

John stared intently right back at Colonel Foster, his jaw clenched slightly.

"Yes, sir."  Then he moved away with deliberate motion. 

Clemente walked up to Foster.  "McKinley's raising hell.  He wants through the lines."

"Yes, I'm sure he does.  Too bad, though."

"What do you want me to tell him?"

Foster noted that Ms. Stanton had moved Alec to a gurney and were loading him in the ambulance with the help of Corporal Davis.  He turned back to Clemente, his face hardened.

"I don't give a damn what you tell him.  No one crosses that line or they'll be shot on sight."

"Are you kiddin' me?" Clemente asked dumbfounded.

"Yes, but McKinley nor those reporters need to know that.  Handle it Cunningham." Then turning away, Colonel Foster headed back over the ambulance.

"Yes, sir."  Cunningham had walked up a few moments earlier.  Issuing orders over his com, it didn't take long for his team to move into position along the line.  Reinforcing the guards who were already there. 

Clemente pinched the bridge of his nose, then turned to deal with a very angry Senator.

The team of X5s had no problem re-entering the City.  It seemed people coming in were not the real concern as much as people trying to leave.   They split up as planned to reunite at the warehouse.  Biggs went with Logan to Father's house to be sure the location was still secure and not under any kind of surveillance.   After a recon of the area, it was obvious that the location was still secure, so he and Logan moved together to enter.  Once there, Logan immediately went to work digging up the necessary information about the Police Station security systems and hack in.

Biggs watched for a time over his shoulder, then scanning the room noticed something.

"Hey, does that work?"

Logan momentarily distracted looked in the direction Biggs indicated. 

"Yeah, I think so.  Alec said he bought it from some connection he had."  Logan returned his attention to his computer screen.

Biggs noted the name Harbor Lights on the television and shook his head. "Sure he did."

"I think I can hack into the City archives and get a schematic of the Police Station."

Biggs basically ignored him and turned on the TV and sat down. 

It didn't take long for Logan to secure the information they would need.  He now had a three dimensional view of the Police station along with a layout of their security systems.  He would be able to track the movements of anyone in the building and locate Alec and Mole's position.

"Alright, I've got everything we need here.  Looks like your best bet will be to go in from the roof, there's a…Biggs?"  Logan turned around when he realized Biggs was ignoring him, that's when he realized something big had happened as the reporter's words reached his ears.   He stood slowly and stepped over to where Biggs was sitting.

 "Senator McKinley, in view of the events that occurred here in the last hour, do you still believe the transgenics to be a threat?" 

"Absolutely, more so now than ever.  After the death of Special Agent White, it should be obvious to everyone what a danger they are and I will do everything within my power to see that justice is done.  That X-5 soldier will pay for the crimes he's committed today."

"Senator, from what we witnessed today the death of Special Agent White was the result of his taking the X-5 as a hostage.  If what you say is true, then why did Colonel Foster order his men to take down Agent White?  And if Agent White was working in conjunction with the military, why didn't he just turn over the X-5 to Colonel Foster?" 

Roseanne Dane realized that as soon as she asked her questions, there would be no more real answers from Senator McKinley, not that he'd given any to begin with, but as a reporter she knew they needed to be asked. 

"Things aren't always what they seem to be.  You'll get answers soon enough."  Abruptly, McKinley turned away from the reporter and entered his Limo.  The Ambulance had left the scene and he had every intention of making sure this abomination did not slip away.

Dane turned to the camera and continued her live report.  "Well Senator McKinley is right.  Things aren't always what they seem to be.  It looks as if we will have to judge for ourselves to find answers.  The following is a film of events that occurred here in the last two hours.  Parents be advised that what you are about to see is graphic and may not be suitable for children."

Logan and Biggs stood rigid when the film began.  Logan swallowed hard at the sight of Alec and White locked in combat.  He couldn't help it when his eyes shifted to look at Biggs for a moment.  The only visible sign that Biggs was affected by what they were watching was slight clench of his jaw.  Logan looked back at the TV mesmerized by the sight.  He felt himself tense when Alec seemed to refuse to lay down his weapon and then let out a deep sigh of relief when the Colonel removed it from his hand. 

"Holy crap!" Logan was surprised as anyone when White seemed to rise from the dead and grab Alec.  The cameraman had been too far to pick up voices, but it was obvious what White was doing.   Biggs remained completely silent.  Logan couldn't help it when he stepped closer to the TV as he realized…

"Christ! Is Alec doing what I think he's…"

The sound of the shot echoed in his ears and his eyes widened in shock at the sight of Alec and White being shot down.  The unbelieving voices of the reporter and cameraman could be heard as the film continued, registering their shock at the events.  The film suddenly ended with the sound of military soldiers entering the room and obviously putting a stop to the filming. 

Roseanne Dane came back into view.  "Enemy, threat, monster, freak? These are the names that have been used by all in reporting the events of the last 24 hours.  But are the terms right?  Are they a threat to our existence? Or are they just trying to survive?  This is one reporter that's not so sure anymore.  This is Roseanne Dane reporting to you live from the South Side."

Logan stood frozen staring at the screen as Biggs leaned forward to shut it off.  Standing straight he turned dark eyes to Logan.

"You had something for me to look at."

"Yeah," was Logan's quiet reply.  For the first time he was glad that Max wasn't with him. 

Alec felt nothing as consciousness weighed in at the edges of his mind.  He had no desire to wake up.  Being awake was not a good thing.  Sweet oblivion, he decided was where he wanted to stay, but it was not to be.  Pain began to seep through, nagging at him in bits and pieces and then thoughts he'd shoved aside started to invade his mind as well.  Faces began to appear and fade.  Then it was on him like a runaway train.  All the events of the last couple of days, the feelings, the anguish and the loss threatened to suffocate him.  His only recourse was to wake up.  His eyes shot open and he tried to move.  Not a good thing to do.   He cried out as sudden pain shot through his body in waves.

"Easy, lay still."

Alec felt hands on holding him down.  He clamped his eyes shut and began to take in great gulps of air.  

"Hurts," he rasped through clenched teeth.

"You need to try and relax.  I know it's hard, but it'll help.  I'm sorry I haven't given you any pain medicine.  I don't know anything about your physiology.  I'm sorry."

Alec managed to crack his eyes open and look at the person whose voice gave him reassurances.   She was blonde with her hair pulled back out of her face.   Her skin was fair, but there was a hint of pink on her cheeks.  Her blue eyes looked intently into his, full of concern and compassion.  It was unnerving.

"Morphine st…stick…m…pack," he whispered.  He was too tired anymore to deal with the pain.  The concentration he'd needed to deal with his injuries and complete his mission was gone.  He had nothing left.

"Morphine?  Is that what you said?  You can take Morphine?"

Alec nodded slightly, "Pack."

Confused eyes stared at him. "Pack?"

"His pack ma'am.  He's probably carrying morphine sticks in his pack," Gamble interceded.

Alec turned his head toward the new voice and recognized the face he saw and noted his rank.  He was the lieutenant he'd saluted after taking a sniper out of action. 

"Is his pack here?"

"No ma'am, but Corporal Davis is following right behind us.  He has the pack of their supplies.  Our ETA is two minutes.  You can administer one at that time."

"I have morphine I just need a dosage and I can give it to him now."

"Yes, ma'am.  Let me contact him." 

Alec closed his eyes again as the Lt. and the medic conversed.  He'd just have to ride it out while they figured out the rest.  He soon felt a slight feeling of floating and opened his eyes to the medic injecting his IV.  

Jan finished administering the pain medicine and gave her full attention to the hazel-green eyes that stared back at her.  Her heart lurched the sadness she saw there.

"That should take the edge off.  I'm sorry I couldn't give you anything sooner." 

When he didn't say anything she continued, "I promise I'll do the best I can to take care of you."  But the sad eyes just looked away from her as they glazed just a bit.  Jan sighed and reached out a hand to wipe a lone tear that trailed down his cheek.

Lt. Gamble watched with concern, his own mind in turmoil over the events that occurred.   He'd followed his orders implicitly and would continue to do so, but his heart felt heavy at having to shoot 494 down.   John sucked in a deep breath and sat up straighter.  He had new orders now, to protect 494 and Ms. Stanton.   

They came to a stop just outside Police Station No. 23 and glanced out back as the rest of their military vehicles stopped.  He moved out of the ambulance and immediately signaled his men into position before transferring their man.  Then issued orders to Team 2 to cordon off the area.  Cunningham moved up to him.

"No one gets through without permission from the Colonel or myself.  That includes Senator McKinley.  Until the Colonel clears him I don't even want him in the building," ordered Lt. Gamble. 

"Yes, sir." 

Cunningham signaled four of his men to take up positions between the ambulance and entryway into the Police station. 

Once satisfied that they were ready, Lt. Gamble moved to let the medics remove 494.  At the same time Corporal Davis was checking on his charge.  They'd removed Mole from the vehicle, but had not advanced toward the station entryway, instead setting his stretcher on the ground and surrounding him for his protection.  Their orders were that 494 was the priority and would be moved in first and secured.

Jan hopped out of the bus and with the help of her partner moved the gurney out.  Ted stopped helping as soon as the gurney hit the ground. 

"I'm done.  You're on your own from here."

Jan glared at Ted.  She always thought highly of him before now.  Today she'd seen a side of him she didn't know existed and it disgusted her. 

"I need you're help getting him settled."

"Sorry, I have a job to get back too."  Ted's face showed no relenting. 

Jan's eyes narrowed, "Fine, you can have the bus, but not what's in it."  Then deliberately turning to Lt. Gamble, she told him to remove all supplies and equipment.

Ted grabbed her arm.  "Hey, you can't take that stuff."

"Sure I can," she replied coolly. "Isn't that right Lieutenant?"

Gamble moved in close to Ted.  His menacing face just inches away.  "You can have anything you want ma'am."

"Good, I want it all.  Leave the asshole a shell."  Jan turned her complete attention to her charge and with the help of one of Gamble's man started to move inside. 

"Yes, ma'am." 

Gamble moved forward, forcing Ted to move back until he was completely out of the way.  Then ordered everything removed from the ambulance.   His admiration for Ms. Stanton rose considerably, while the look he gave her partner conveyed his contempt. 

"You can't do this," Ted protested.  Then turning his attention to Jan called after her.  "I'm gonna report this to our admin."

Jan waved an arm, never looking back, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Alec had felt when they lifted him out of the ambulance and despite his feelings of sorrow, couldn't help enjoying the confrontation between the two medics.  The enjoyment he felt was cut short when he spotted the stretcher with Mole's body on the ground.  Despair and failure overwhelmed him and escaped his lips in the form of a half sob.

"Stop," Jan ordered, concern in her voice.   

"Not until we're inside, ma'am," the soldier informed her.

"Then let's move more quickly, please."  Jan's concern increased when the monitor showed his heart rate increase.  Looking at his face, she followed his eyes to what he was seeing.  Realization dawned on her and once inside, she moved to the side of the gurney to get his attention, but he just turned his head away.  She quickly moved around to the other side.  Determined to have him hear her.   Alec tried to move his head again, but she stopped him with her hand on his face. 

"No you don't.  You need to listen to me.  Your friend, he's alive.  Quit trying to turn away and listen to me," Jan continued more slowly and deliberately, knowing that the morphine might be affecting his comprehension. "He's…alive.  Your friend is not dead.  Do you understand? He's alive."

Alec swallowed hard and his voice hitched, "Alive?"

"Yes," she said while nodding.  She signaled Davis to move forward with his stretcher until they were side by side and watched as Alec's eyes followed the movement.  "See?" her voice soft.  Then lifting his right hand she placed it on Moles chest so he could feel his respirations.  "As far as we can tell, he's concussed and will probably have a whale of a headache when he comes too." 

"Alive." This time it was not a question, but a statement.  A clipped laugh sounded from his lips and he stared up at the ceiling.  He didn't even try to stop the flood of tears that came.

"Yes."

Jan felt her own tears well up as this young man's eyes spilled over.  Then taking his hand back, she placed it carefully on the gurney and signaled the soldier to continue.  Gamble stepped up and tried to hand her a handkerchief. 

Jan glared at him and said matter of factly, "What the hell makes you think I need that?"

Gamble blinked, then smiled.  "Not a thing ma'am."  Then with exaggerated gesture, he blew his own nose, sniffed loudly and stuffed it back in his pocket. 

Jan's own sniff followed his, as she ignored him and continued to move forward.  All that mattered to her now was getting her patient settled. 

Max entered what they now deemed their command center to get an update from Dix. 

"What have we got Dix?"

"Biggs is now with his team at the warehouse.  Logan was able to confirm Alec and Mole's position and the team will move in just after midnight."

"Any idea of their condition?"

Dix swallowed and tried to change the subject.  "Logan's contacts in Canada will be ready to accept some of our people in three days.  We can start moving them out in two days."

Max narrowed her eyes, placing her hands on her hips.  "I'm pretty frustrated right now, and I haven't had Alec's ass to kick in a while.  Yours is looking more and more available."

Dix jumped slightly, turning his hind end away from Max.  "Oh no, you can have his back soon enough for you weird urges."

Max's face soften and she stepped closer, her face full of concern.  "What are you not wanting to tell me?"

"There was a confrontation between Alec and White.  Somehow White grabbed Alec after he was disarmed and held him hostage."  Dix looked down and swallowed hard at this point.

"What? What else?"

Without raising his head, Dix continued, "Alec signaled Colonel foster to do what he had too and their sniper shot them both down.  White's dead, but Alec is still alive.  They hit White by shooting through Alec."  The last part came in a whisper.

Max's blinked rapidly and her lip quivered in an effort to control her emotions.  Anger mixed with fear just served to heighten her frustrations.

"I should've gone.  I should be there."

"I know you want to be, Max." Dix spoke up, now looking at her.  He placed his hand on her arm in comfort. "But I'm glad you're not, we need you too."

Max stared at Dix for a moment and for the first time could see the need in Dix.  The same need in all the transhumans whose lives depended on the decisions she made.  The X-5s could assimilate themselves into society, the ones like Dix, Luke and Joshua had more needs.

"Get the first groups ready," Max spoke with certainty, "We'll begin transport in two days."

Dix smiled and began to turn back to his station, then hesitated.  "He's one of the best, you know.  Biggs I mean.  If anyone can bring them home, it's him."

Max smiled wanly, "Thanks."  Then left in search of Joshua, the need to be near family strong in her heart.

End of Part 12

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	13. I Have To Save You

A/N: Yes your eyes do not deceive you. Thanks to my wonderful Pesty Angel. I luv ya honey. On with the show:

SEQ CHAPTER h r 1Chapter 13 –

Paramedic Jan Stanton stepped back a bit as a police officer unlocked and opened the cell door. They called this area the cage and with good reason. It was definitely not fit for humans. She could barely contain her disgust as they readied the area for her young charge. When they started to prepare to move him from the gurney she could not stay quiet.

"I don't think so!"

"Ma'am?" came the questioning reply from the officer, a bewildered look on his face.

Jan stepped forward. "That cot is filthy. You are not putting him on that until you get me a clean sheet to lay over it."

"The cot's it; we're not a hotel."

"You heard me. I'm not repeating myself." Jan stared unblinkingly at the officer. She stepped forward and placed a protective hand on Alec's chest, and her eyes never wavered.

The officer sighed. "This is a police station. There is no linen service here. Where the hell am I supposed to get a clean sheet?"

Jan just turned her head toward Lt. Gamble and rolled her eyes. Gamble took his cue, barely suppressing a smile.

"I don't care if you have to go out and buy one. The lady wants a sheet; she gets a sheet." Gamble took a menacing step forward.

"For cryin' out loud the thing's a prisoner. Not a visiting dignitary. He can use the cot just like any other low life criminal does." The officer took a few wary steps backward.

Gamble turned his head toward Cunningham and rolled his eyes. Cunningham, taking his cue, cocked his automatic weapon.

"Geez! You're all insane!" cried the officer, "Okay, already I'll…go get a sheet somewhere."

"Two," piped in Jan, "I'll need one for the other cot as well. I have two patients."

The officer looked at Jan is if she had two heads, shook his own and waved his hand at her in defeat as he left.

As soon as he was out of sight Jan began laughing followed by Gamble, Cunningham and the rest of the soldiers that were here to protect them.

Jan turned her attention to Gamble, "Thank you."

"Not a problem. The Colonel said to accommodate your needs, so…" Gamble just shrugged his shoulders.

"Wow! I could get used to this."

Gamble stepped in close to Jan, "Me too."

Jan blushed furiously, and was suddenly busy with Alec's vitals. It was at that point she realized he was awake looking straight at her with this sly smirk on his face. It unnerved her how beautiful he was in spite of the bruising and dried blood and how that small crooked smile touched her insides, making her stomach queasy. Her eyes shot back and forth several times between Alec and Gamble, not quite sure what to do.

"Stop it…both of you." Thoroughly disgusted Jan turned her full attention to Alec and spoke in a soft tone.

"Hi, I'm…"

"Jan…I remember." His voice seemed rough and dry.

Before Jan could react Gamble held out a canteen. She straightened up and faced him. He was just inches from her face. She stared up into his chocolate brown eyes. He was a good seven inches taller than her with a ruggedly handsome face and some 'oh God' stubble along his hard jaw. The urge to touch his cheek was unnerving. She hated the feeling of being out of control and reacted accordingly.

"You're in my space." She tried to sound confident, but damn if her voice didn't squeak.

"Am I? Sorry," Gamble's voice was slightly husky. He handed her the canteen and took a small step back.

She took her hand and shoved him back another step. "My Space!!!" She emphasized her words with several emphatic gestures indicating the size of her…'space.'

Jan turned back again to Alec biting her lip to keep from laughing. His once small crooked smile was now a full blown one. Jan's eyes softened at the sight and moved her hand behind his head gently raising it to the canteen.

Alec closed his eyes in satisfaction as he felt the cool water slide down his throat. He never tasted anything so sweet. All too soon it was gone and the cool feeling was again replaced with the heat of his fever. A sigh escaped his lips as she lay his head back down.

"How are you feeling?"

The small smirk returned, "Fine."

"Liar."

He opened his eyes and looked at her blue ones, pausing. The compassion he saw was genuine.

"Like someone chewed me up…and spit…me out."

"Well you look like someone chewed you up and spit you out. You're also stinky," wrinkling her nose, "but I think I can eventually help with that too. Let's see if we can't get started in that direction."

Alec's eyes followed her movements as she removed antiseptic pads from her box. He was fascinated at the gentleness of her hands as she began to remove the blood and dirt from his face. She would pause and her eyebrows would furrow in concentration when she uncovered the source of a bloody spot, changing tactics and flushing the cuts with saline solution. She tenderly dealt with each cut and abrasion as she came to it.

"I'm not sure I have enough steri-strips. You're a mess. I could stitch you. Give you the Frankenstein look. It's all the rave," she tried to make light of his situation.

His eyes creased in wonder. "Frankenstein?"

"You know," she continued as she cleaned a bloody spot along his hairline. "Dracula, the werewolf…My favorite movie as a kid was 'Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein.' I never could stomach serious horror movies." She paused when his confusion seemed to increase. "Didn't you ever watch television as a kid? It was a classic."

Alec just shook his head slightly.

Jan stopped her ministrations, appalled. "You weren't allowed to, were you?"

"Only for information purposes…pertaining to a…mission."

"Did you go on a lot of…missions?"

"Too many," Alec closed his drooping eyes again.

Jan hesitated a moment longer, then averted her eyes back to the task at hand and found another gash along the side of his head behind his ear. She decided that perhaps ignorance was bliss and didn't want to know any more.

Alec grunted and jerked his head when she touched a particularly sore spot.

"I'm sorry, but it can't be helped."

Alec didn't reply. He knew the routine; this was not unfamiliar to him, but taking care of a transgenic was new for her. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration and he tried to steady his breathing. Then his eyes suddenly opened, staring straight up.

Jan stopped cold, startled a bit by his sudden movement. His eyes seemed darker than before, more dilated. She waved her hand in front of his face and he did not respond. Her eyes took a sideways glance at Gamble. Gamble just nodded at her to proceed. She tentatively returned to her ministrations, noting that Alec no longer flinched.

"Hey! I got your sheets?" The officer hollered as he entered. "Who knew there was a linen closet here."

Already on edge, Jan jumped at his voice, losing her balance and flailing her arms to no avail. She landed hard on her ass.

Proud as a peacock the officer dumped said sheets none too gracefully on the cot.

Jan stared up at him, eyes narrowed to slits.

"Shoot him!"

Wasting no time the officer made a fast exit.

Corporal Davis stood at attention waiting for the Colonel to acknowledge his presence. They were now in the command center of the police station. Soldiers were posted in every conceivable area of penetration, both inside and outside the building. Not even a fly could get in without their knowing it.

A mixed crowd of people had converged on the area along with reporters from every TV station in the area. Davis could clearly hear some of them shouting for the release of their two prisoners. Above their voices, though, the ones who wanted the freaks eliminated could be heard. Corporal Davis had no real opinion one way or the other at this point. He would follow the orders of his commander to the letter and right now those orders consisted of aiding the paramedic with the care of the transgenics. He'd do his job.

"Corporal," The Colonel said, acknowledging him, "Are the prisoners situated?"

"Yes sir. We've established contact with the hospital. A Dr. Shankar has volunteered to help. I forwarded information about their physiology to her."

"How is Ms. Stanton holding up?"

"Other than a sore ass, she's doing great, sir."

Foster noted the smile on Davis's face. "Do I even want to know?"

Davis just shrugged slightly.

The Colonel just shook his head and continued.

"What is the status of 494?"

"His vitals have become more stable, but are still erratic. We can't seem to get him to stabilize completely. Our biggest concern right now is his temperature. It's rising and he's becoming incoherent. We may need to ice him down. We'd like to avoid that, sir. We don't want to risk putting him into shock."

Colonel Foster rubbed his eyes and sighed, "Return to your post. Continue as before."

"Sir!" Davis saluted, did an about face and left.

As Davis left, he noted a very red faced Senator moving into the office. He could almost see the steam rising from his ears. Suppressing a smile he sat on the corner of a desk and crossed his arms.

"Senator," he acknowledged, "What can I do for you?"

"I don't appreciate your stalling tactics. What I want is what the President said I can have. Control over your prisoners."

"Really. I received no such orders from the President. My orders were to subdue and prepare the transgenics for transport."

"You were supposed to subdue all the transgenics in Terminal City. As I understand it you have two!"

The disgust in McKinley's voice didn't fail to reach Foster's ears. He stood abruptly and walked around to the other side of the desk and seated himself.

"They were already gone by the time we mobilized to enter Terminal City. These two, along with 7 others held us at bay while the others effectively escaped. A piece of intel that your own NSA Agent White failed to provide. He was in charge of this operation until my arrival. Instead he went off half-cocked on some personal crusade and failed miserably."

"Agent White was a loyal member of the NSA. His death will be fully investigated. You have my word on that."

"I don't doubt it. As far as taking over, unless I receive specific orders from our Commander-in-Chief, your presence here is a courtesy on my part."

"I want to see the prisoners, now!"

Foster smiled slightly at McKinley's gall and sat forward. His face took on a sardonic look.

"Let's get something straight. I don't answer to you. I don't take orders from you. If I let you see the prisoners, it's out of the goodness of my heart. Which at this moment is not fond of you at all. Before you are allowed any say whatsoever, I will speak to the President. Once your position is confirmed by him, then we go from there. Until that time, those prisoners are my responsibility and right now their injuries prevent any kind of debriefing by anyone and until they are stable, no one, except who I deem necessary will have access to them. Is that understood Senator?"

Foster could have sworn the steam turned to smoke as McKinley's skin reddened beyond belief from his neck up. But McKinley never replied, he just turned around and left.

Foster sat back with a heavy sigh and a look of concern took over his face. He would have to contact the President immediately and take the chance of forwarding some of the evidence they possessed. It would be tricky, but he would have to concede some things to McKinley in order to keep him in the dark that they knew what he was. He just hoped the President wouldn't order him to turn over the prisoners as part of the scam. Pulling his cell phone from his pocket, he began dialing a secure number.

Gamble's air rushed from his lungs in a loud grunt when his body slammed into the bars and he fell to the floor in a heap. It felt as if a rib had given way to the pressure. Barely able to get a word out he scrambled into a sitting position holding his hands out to his men, as he heard them cocking their guns.

"Stand….down…don't hurt…im." He hunched over holding his side and pulled in gulps of air. How had their situation gotten so out of control so fast? One minute he thought that 494 was barely conscious and then, before he realized anything was amiss, he felt himself being hurled through the air. Gamble looked at the swaying transgenic.

With the wall on his right and the bars on the left, Alec raised a hand against the wall to steady himself and at the same time shoving the girl behind him in the corner. His crazed eyes went from one soldier to another quickly assessing his situation. It wasn't good, but there was no way he would let another one of his people die. No way White would get his hands on her.

"White can't have her. You'll have…to go through me first."

Jan scooted up against the corner, her frightened eyes stared up first at Alec and then toward Gamble, who shook his head slightly at her. She didn't move.

Realizing where his delirium had taken him, Gamble tried to reason with 494.

"I'm not with…White. I'm Lieutenant John Gamble, Special Forces under the command of Colonel Foster."

Alec blinked at the name Foster, something in the back of his mind told him it was a name he should know. His eyes scanned the soldiers. They were all in a ready position and could easily take him down. He frowned in confusion.

"Foster?"

"That's right. You're in our protective custody."

Alec stumbled slightly, going to one knee, his mind a jumble. He instinctively moved back until he could feel the girl at his back. He turned his head slightly and saw her fear.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered to her, "I won't…won't let him hurt you."

Jan's fear dissipated when she realized he wasn't going to hurt her. Ever so slowly she placed a hand on his shoulder in an effort to reach through his delusions.

"I'm not in danger. You don't have to do this."

Alec's pleading eyes searched hers, "I have to save you."

Jan's face reflected an overwhelming feeling of compassion and then fear. Fear that his delusions would get him killed, so she pleaded in return. "Please…please don't do anything.

Alec mistook her look of fear and reacted by turning back to Gamble, "I won't let you…hurt her…I won't."

"Alec!" Gamble pleaded, "We're on your side, please don't do anything you'll regret…Don't make me do something I'll regret. Stand down."

Alec lowered his pounding head slightly, the confusion increasing. He felt the girl's trembling hands on his back and shoulder. Trying to hold him back. His mind was a blur of images, running from place to place. He squeezed his eyes shut at the sound of successive explosions in his head, debris flying, running, blood…his breathing increased and his eyes shot open scanning his arms and body. Blood everywhere. He could feel it as it splattered on him. Mole's blood. White's face sneering, laughing.

"No!…you're with White. I won't…let you kill anymore…of my family!" he yelled and lunged off the floor.

"All three Delta Teams are in and around the Police Station. They've successfully pushed the crowds back 500 feet from the main entry and stationed men on the roofs of several adjoining buildings east and west, as well as these two buildings across the street here and here."

Boxer pointed to each spot on the map as he spoke. He hadn't been one of the original team Biggs chose for this mission. He was an X-6. Alec had been his superior back at Manticore. Much of his training had been with Alec and it had been Alec who had covered up his early mistakes to keep him from being punished. He couldn't stay behind and had convinced Biggs to take him.

Collin, an X-5, continued his part of the report. "There are only 5 police officers in the station. Mostly taking care of regular office responsibilities. It's a completely military operation."

Collin paused and looked directly at Biggs. "McKinley and his goons are in there. Two are with him all the time. The other four spread out along his path. They're never far away."

Biggs contemplated the information for a moment before responding. His mind calculated the risks of what they were going to do as he stared down at the map.

"Okay let's go over this again. Jay Jay, Cary, and Toby will get the crowd going."

Looking from one to the other he re-emphasized the plan, "I want that crowd in a frenzy and at each others throats. It'll force Foster to send part of the teams out to help control them. Collin?"

Collin, an X-5 from Biggs unit continued, "Once the soldiers are confirmed as being out of the building, Boxer and I will take out the guards on the East and West sides of the roof simultaneously. Talen will take care of the guards on the roof across the street."

Biggs looked to Jay Jay.

"Using the confusion of the riot, Cary, Toby and I will walk into the building from the front and immobilize any soldiers or police in that area."

Biggs nodded. "My team will surface from the sewers in the west and east alleys and enter the building from there and move to Alec and Mole's location. I want a clear path to the roof. Use necessary force. However, if possible, I don't want to kill any of the soldiers," Biggs mouth curled in a feral grin, "McKinley's men are fair game."

Suddenly Logan's voice broke in over the coms.

"Something's happening. At least three of the teams are leaving the building."

Biggs straightened up and turned, his eyes glancing toward the floor. "What do you mean they're leaving?"

"Just what I said. Only one team is in the building and from what I can tell they are now concentrated in the command center. This doesn't make sense."

"We need to know what they're up too. Can you patch into their communications?"

"Already have," Logan answered, "There's nothing out of the ordinary…wait…I'm able to tap into all, but one line. It's encrypted. Has to be Foster."

"Can you break it?"

"Trying…it may take a while."

"Okay we may have to move our timetable. What are Mole and Alec's conditions?"

"Hang on."

Biggs scrubbed a hand through his hair in frustration. These unexpected actions of the military didn't make sense. Less soldiers to deal with meant better chance of success, but something didn't bode well. Something had happened to change the game. He paced as he waited for Logan's info.

Logan moved quickly to review transmissions between the paramedic and the hospital. When he realized that Shankar was supervising the situation, it gave him a sense of relief, but it was short lived.

"Mole's conscious, probable concussion, but his vitals are good. Alec's another story. They seem to be having trouble stabilizing him. His temperature is through the roof."

"That's normal for an X-5 with multiple injuries. Alec's pushed himself beyond normal perimeters. His body's dealing with too much at once."

"I got something!" Logan shouted and then hesitated listening to the transmissions. "Oh no."

"What? What is it?" Biggs fairly yelled.

"McKinley…" Logan started, "McKinley's been given authority by the President to escort the prisoners to DC and participate in their interrogation. Two of the teams have been ordered back to base. A transport helicopter is being sent for them. It should arrive by 2:00 a.m. in the morning. Just a sec…uh…the remaining teams will transport the prisoners, along with McKinley and his bodyguards back to D.C."

"Do you have a time?"

Logan's fingers literally flew over his keyboard, his heart pounding with his concentrated efforts to get this vital information.

"Okay…here it is," Logan continued, "We've got a break, if you want to call it that. They've ordered that Alec's condition be stabilized before transport…um…Dr. Shankar has to give the okay for him to be moved."

Biggs' sense of relief was obvious as his shoulders slumped in relief. He stood straight up and let his eyes go from one soldier to the other, a look of complete determination on his face.

"Okay boys, looks like we have a change of plans. Logan contact Shankar tell her the situation and that we may need her to stall his release. As soon as that transport is gone, we move in. If the crowd is still there, we use them. If not, we still go in."

end of Chapter 13 OKAY! I'm waiting. REVIEW ALREADY! GEEZ. LINKY HERE : )


	14. You Saved Me

A/N: Don't faint! Yes I finished another chapter aaaaannnnd I've actually started the next one. Hee. Thanks from the bottom of my heart to my little pesty angel.

SEQ CHAPTER h r 1Chapter 14

"Nooooo!" Jan screamed as her grip on Alec was torn away by his actions, but he never hesitated and her horrified eyes went to John Gamble as he struggled to brace himself for the attack. His men moved forward, but his orders were clear through grunts of pain.

"Cunningham, don't! No one mm..move…Oh shit!" Gamble pushed himself against the bars, raised his hands in front of him and involuntarily shut his eyes just as 494 reached him. He knew he had no chance against the transgenic, yet hoped his men would not disobey what was probably his last order. Nothing happened and he opened his eyes to the sound of a struggle.

"Alec! Stop!"

Alec felt himself halted in mid-action by something that grabbed him like a vise pulling him back and trapping one of his arms.

Mole had finally awakened to the sounds around him. His head was pounding but he quickly took in the scene around him. That dumb X-5 was going to get himself killed. Muttering a few expletives he leapt toward Alec before the idiot took another bullet.

Alec swung his elbow back and growled in satisfaction at the sound of bone hitting flesh.

"Ow…You sorry piece of…ugh!" Mole's air came out in a rush as Alec turned and shoved him back into the bars trying to dislodge him. Fear of what would happen to his friend if he lost his grip urged him to tighten his arms.

Gamble rolled out of the way, and using his legs, he scrambled to a sitting position against the bars and out of harms way.

"Don't interfere," he grunted.

The jarring motion caused Alec to stumble forward, taking Mole with him, but he wouldn't go down. Instead he braced his feet in a crouched position and shoved them both back into the bars again.

Mole grunted, this time ready for the impact. "Alec!" he yelled, "Stop it! It's me."

His words fell on deaf ears as Alec reached back over his shoulder with his free hand and grabbed a handful of Mole's jacket. Then with a yell he bent forward almost to the ground and flipped Mole over his head to land with a loud thump on the ground. Alec fell back against the bars and away from Mole; he frantically grabbed at the bars on both sides to keep from falling completely to the ground.

Mole's head exploded with pain and he moaned, holding his head. He rolled onto his side pulling his legs up in an effort to force away the darkness that was threatening to overtake him.

Jan started to move toward him; her instincts to help urging her forward, but she stopped abruptly at Gamble's signals for her not to move. She shrank back into the corner.

They all held their ground not taking action and remaining still as Alec held himself against the bars and took in great gulps of air. His head was lowered, shoulders hunched over and his eyes were tightly shut. Gamble's hope was that Alec would somehow come to his senses and realize they were not the enemy, a hope that died on his lips as he yelled to his second in command.

"Cunningham!"

Hearing the commotion, several Sector Policemen had run into the room with tasers ready.

Cunningham and his men quickly moved to intercept the officers and successfully barred all but one.

Jan, still huddled in the corner, realized what was about to happened and without hesitation or thought to what she was doing, moved.

"No! He can't take that!"

She hurled herself toward Alec, hugging her arms around him and effectively draping herself over his head, back, and shoulders. A piercing scream erupted from her lips as the taser made contact with her flesh.

Alec reacted instantaneously grabbing a hold of Jan, pulling her over his shoulder and preventing her from receiving the full brunt of electricity. A moan escaped her lips as she rolled to a stop by the cots. Turning faster than could be seen by human eyes, Alec took hold of the officer's hand and yanked. The man's face and body slammed into the bars knocking him unconscious. Alec let go and watched him fall in a heap to the ground; then looked up into the eyes of Lt. Cunningham challenging him.

Cunningham had turned to face Alec from the other side of the officer's body and froze. He didn't move for several seconds, then slowly and deliberately he raised one hand up, palm facing Alec as if to hold him back and holstered his gun. He bent forward just far enough to take hold of the officer's belt loop and slowly pull him away from the bars. Alec didn't move, but his intense eyes followed Cunningham's every move.

Bending painfully to a crouch, Alec lay a hand on Jan's shoulder. He wanted desperately to check on her more thoroughly, but he didn't dare take his eyes off White's people. He felt her move and knew that she was probably okay.

"Oh God!" she murmured, "What was I thinking?"

Alec almost smiled, instead he stood up and positioned himself between the soldiers and Jan. They would have to come through him to get to her. His brows knitted together and his head began to pound, as a familiar voice began to penetrate it. The voice was beyond irritated, but for some reason it began to have a calming effect and Alec felt himself sag a bit.

"Alec! You dumb ass! What the hell do you think you're doing? Where the hell are we? How the hell did I get here and why the hell does my head hurt so bad?" Mole's own voice pounded in his head. "Ow!"

"Mole?" his voice was a whisper, and his back was to the voice. Fear kept him from turning around.

"Ow…Who the hell else would it be? Crap! I need to stop yelling."

Alec closed his eyes. "You're dead."

"If only." He said wistfully, as he held his head and then begged, "Please tell me I tied one on last night to get this bad a headache and that I wasn't drunk before I realized she was pretty?"

"White…White shot you." Alec felt his body sway unsteadily and he reached out to grab a bar. An overwhelming lump in his throat threatened to choke him. Sweat glistened as it ran down his face and neck.

"Well that's disappointing. Remind me again why Joshua didn't kill him?"

Alec opened his eyes and scanned the people around him and then the fog began to clear and he lowered his head a bit. A small crooked smiled spread on Alec's face as he began to realize where he was and what had happened. His friend was alive and…

"White's dead!" he said with satisfaction, a feral grin on his lips.

"White's dead?" Mole's shocked look was almost comical. He look first at Alec's back and then panned to the soldiers around him, settling on Gamble. The slight nod confirmed it.

Alec swallowed hard as dizziness began to creep up on him and pain from all over made itself known.

"Mole?" he rasped.

Mole didn't hear the sudden weakness in Alec's voice. "What the hell happened?"

"Mole?"

His head turned back to the sound of Alec's voice this time.

"Mole…help?" Alec's legs buckled and he started down.

Mole shot up from against the wall, catching him under his arms from behind. Then slowly backed up until he felt the wall. Shifting his arms around Alec more securely, he slid them both down to the floor. Mole didn't know what the heck was going on, but one thing was for certain. They were prisoners and he was going to keep Alec close.

Jan groaned out a very unladylike expletive and sat up. She'd never felt anything like that before and hoped to God she never would again. It was barbaric. She felt like she'd run a marathon the way her muscles twitched and ached. Moving slowly and with great care, she grabbed her bag of supplies.

"Jan? Are you okay?"

Gamble's concerned voice reached her ears. Her arm shot up and pointed straight at him.

"Don't move. After I check them out, you're next."

"Jan…"

"I'm fine," she interrupted, "Don't move. I don't want to worry about you just yet."

She'd dragged her supplies over to her patients while on all fours and began a quick check of Alec's vitals.

"I can help you."

She turned, "Don't even! What I'm feeling right now goes beyond PMS."

"But…"

"Cunningham!"

Cunningham, looking very pleased with himself, pulled out his pistol, squatted down and pointed it at Gamble.

"Very funny. Get that idiot out of here." He said, cocking his head toward the fallen police officer.

Cunningham's smile broadened and he stood up. Turning, he signaled his men to comply.

Gamble slumped against the bars and sat quietly enjoying the relief of a potentially bad situation being over. His eyes sought out a very special person as she ministered aid to X5-494…no…as she took care of Alec.

Jan moved as quickly as her aching muscles would allow, to assess any damage Alec may have inflicted on himself. Checking his more serious wounds for bleeding and then the less serious ones. He was sweating profusely and it ran down the sides of his face, neck and chest. However, his breathing was less labored than it had been. She reached for the oto-thermometer and pressed it to his ear. Smiling, she turned to Gamble.

"His fever's breaking."

"Good." Gamble leaned his head back.

Her eyes went to the transhuman named Mole and she repeated herself, almost giddy.

"His fever's breaking."

"I guess that's good, huh?"

"It's wonderful," she replied. "Are you good with him here? We can move him to the cot."

"No! He's good here."

Alec stirred. His head was low on his chest and Jan gently raised his head up and back against Mole. Taking a towel, she poured sterile water on it and began wiping the sweat from his face. Clear hazel-green eyes looked at her through droopy eyelids. She smiled.

Alec half smiled at the beautiful face in front of him, but sudden concern overwhelmed him as he remembered what she'd done.

"Okay? Are you…okay?"

Jan pressed the cool towel to his cheek and leaned in. "I'm fine," her tone tender, "You saved me."

His eyes fluttered closed.

"Are they here?…Good!" McKinley's voice was harsh. "Make sure they understand the same fate will happen to them if they fail like the other team."

Slamming the phone down he spoke to no one in particular. "Before this night is gone, everyone in this building will be dead and," he smiled, "we the survivors can give testimony as to the blame."

"Dr. Shankar is willing to cooperate and help anyway she can. She also reported that Alec's condition is stabilizing and his fever is coming down. With a little rest, we should be able to move him without a problem." Logan spoke to Biggs while keeping his eyes on his computer screen, his fingers flying over the keyboard.

Biggs and his team were readying themselves for the mission ahead. Checking his weapon and holstering it, he glanced over to Logan.

"Good. We're ready."

"The outside security cameras show that the crowds are dispersing. Uh…it looks like the helicopter transport is going to arrive earlier than expected. We can move up our timetable."

"Sounds like a plan. We need to get them out of there before McKinley can get his grimy hands on them." Looking around at each of their men, he asked, "Ready?"

After several affirmatives, Biggs issued orders, "Proceed to position and wait. On my mark, we move in."

End of Chapter 14


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